The Timid Hero
by CBarbie92
Summary: This war was far from over when L died. So now the people he left behind must finish the job. Llana is depending on everyone, including herself, to end Kira's reign. She must save the world. But who will save her?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Return; Illiana Blackwell**

_Only months ago, my best friend and lover was killed by the hands of Kira. At that same time I learned that I was pregnant with his child; L's child. Sure to be a prodigy and bring about peace like his or her father. But seeing as how the world needed that hero now, it was up to me to travel to my home, Whammy's and choose L's heir, something I'm not exactly sure I can do._

_But I have to, and as it comes down to the sheer fact that I myself need a hero. Well, maybe I'll just have to wait for my child to be born. Maybe then, it won't hurt as bad._

_I was next in line, but I refuse to put myself on that pedestal when I know the other successors can do better, when I know that it was L's plan all along to skip over me, to keep me safe. If you're really wondering, yes, it is hard. Hard to travel to the place where my life truly began and deliver the news that killed me, in turn, possibly killing the people who will hear it._

_My little brothers are extraordinary human beings, all of them special in their own way. Little Near, he should be no more than eleven now. My quiet little angel. He had always loved to sit alone and toy with his puzzles and games. He's so much like L i find myself wondering if they are related, i guess i'll never know. Near is tied in placement with Mello. My chocolate monster. If he had a choice that's all he would eat. That little blond is sneaky though, using his brain and tactics that would usually be frowned upon to get the job done. But I'm still proud of him. And Matt, my Matty. That boy is a technical genius, for someone with his face in a video game all day, he should be. This kid is too weird. One day he was rummaging through the toy chest and found a pair of green goggles, hasn't taken them off since. _

_I look forward to seeing them again, letting their love ease my pain a little. A still find it hard to sleep most of the time but maybe once i'm home i'll slepp fine. _

_I leave this for myself, to remind myself of what needs to be done. Also to remind me that Kira is out there, possibly right under my nose, and i will catch him._

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you? I can, I'm sure Light won't mind. I mean, I really don't want you to go alone…"

Matsuda, this man has been with me since it happened, even before then he's been my loyal friend. Even when I rejected him and wanted no one around me. I closed my laptop and tucked it away, standing up from my seat. "Matsu, you're rambling."

He blushed, "Sorry." He gently took my hand, "But I mean it. I don't want you to go alone."

I felt myself blushing; I sort of hoped that Yuki would hurry up before I turn permanently red. "I have to do this alone Matsuda. It's the only way I can get through it."

He kissed my forehead, still blushing, "Be careful."

"She'll be fine you big baby." Yuki gently moved the man out of the way, this woman was truly my best friend. She broke rules and hopped a military jet to come take care of me; only a really good friend would do that.

She put some pills in my purse; "Here's some Dramamine just in case ok? I brought you some water and candy too. There's a nurse on board in case you need anything and Light pulled some strings so you'll be first class all the way there and get whatever you need."

"Now your rambling." I hugged her, thankful to have people watching over me like this, "I'll be fine, I promise."

Another warm hug from Matsu and I was on the plane. "Here's goes something."


	2. Mommy

**Chapter 1**

**Mommy**

**December 7, 2004; Winchester, London; Whammy's**

"You could have chosen."

"Mello, it wasn't my place to choose, you know that." She took a deep breath, "He never really chose anyone."

The bond turned away from his suitcase and looked closely at his sister. He put a hand on her slightly bigger belly, "Is this why you didn't take his place?"

"You can say that."

He turned back to his suitcase and Llana sat on the bed, fighting off the tears, "I won't stop you Mihael." The boy stopped at the sound of his name. The woman reached out gently combed her fingers through his blond locks, "Just be careful ok? I can't loose anyone else."

He nodded and wiped his eyes, "I will, I'll make you and L proud."

She stood and kissed his forehead, "I know you will."

The woman walked into the hallway and as she closed the door someone bumped into her hip. The redhead rubbed his nose and sniffed, "Hi sis."

Llana chuckled and tousled his red hair, "Still got your nose in those games, huh Matt?"

He paused the game, nodding, and rest his head on her stomach, "I missed you."

She hugged him, "I missed you too."

They started down the hall and Matt looked up at her, "Is Mello really leaving?"

The woman smiled sadly as she opened the door to the boy's bedroom and looked down at her watch, "I would imagine that he's cleared the ground by now."

"I've never been apart from him before."

It was true. Matt gravitated to Mello before anyone when he came to the orphanage. Roger had even told her that when he separated their rooms Matt had a fit.

Llana slipped off his goggles and kissed his head, "You two will always be a pair, my M&M's." she chuckled, "But Mail, you have your own heart, your own thoughts." She took away is game and placed it by his bedside, "Just do what you think is best ok?"

He nodded, "Goodnight Ideal."

"Night Matt."

Llana rubbed her temples as she moved down the hall. She eased open the door to the music room and smiled at the white-haired boy on the floor. Near looked up from his puzzle at her. It almost broke her heart because he did it just like L used to.

The boy reached up and played with the end of a soft curl, "I was waiting for you. It's been forever since I've heard you play."

The woman settled herself before the white grand piano and let her fingers go. Near closed his eyes in thought as she started to play, "What are you going to do?"

She abruptly stopped playing and buried her face in her hands, "I don't know. I feel like I have no reason to do anything anymore."

Near struggled to move by her side and crawl on the bench next to her. He snuggled himself under her arms until she wrapped them around him and sobbed in his fluffy white hair.

"You kept it together so well."

"But I wanted to break down so bad."

The boy held her back the best he could with his small arms, "We'll stop Kira, I promise."

"Thank you Near…thank you."

* * *

**March 11, 2009; Tokyo, Japan; To-Oh University**

"Ms. Lina!"

Llana turned away from the dry erase board and pointed to the girl in the front row, "Yes Mika?"

"How come we don't profile the Kira Case?"

The woman sat on her desk and folded her arms, "Because we don't know if it's a theory or not. And besides, it's still going on so we can't talk about it. It's against the law."

"Aw Ms. Lina, you're just saying that cuz your husband's a cop."

Llana blushed, "Matsuda is not my husband."

The whole class started to laugh and one of the students waved his hand around, "If he hasn't proposed yet he must be stupid."

"Yeah Ms. Lina! You're gorgeous!"

Mika lent forward over her desk, "It's true though. He's totally cute and you're extremely pretty. He needs to pop the question soon."

Llana blushed even more, "Mika!"

"She's right Ms. Lina."

"How is he with Layla?"

"Oh right your daughter!"

"She is so cute!"

"How old is she now?

"Three and a half as she likes to point out almost everyday. Now come on. We're off topic." Llana turned back towards the board. "Now, The Lincoln Assassination…"

"Ooo! Mommy, pick me! I know that one!"

The whole class erupted into simultaneous awe's. Llana turned to the door of the small lecture hall and smiled at the little girl standing next to Matsuda. She was wearing a white and blue sundress with a little blue headband in her neatly cut black hair. She swished her bangs from her face and continue to fidget, "Mommy c'mon! I know it!"

The woman lent against her desk again, "Go ahead Layla."

"Erm. President Lincoln was assasa….um…" Matsuda whispered something in her ear, "Right, assassinated, thank you daddy." The young adults awed again, "He was assassinated in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth."

Llana smiled brightly at her genius daughter, "That's right Layla."

The bell rang and the woman crossed her arms, "I won't see any of you until after spring break so you better know about this assassination and have your opinions!"

Matsuda released Layla who darted towards her mother. Llana picked her up and kissed her head, "I swear little girl, you get smarter and cuter everyday."

The girl beamed and looked over her shoulder, "Daddy!"

Llana's heart jumped a little in her chest. She thought it was extremely beautiful when Layla called Matsuda her father with such love. Matsuda came closer and smiled his cute lopsided smile that he smiled when he was nervous.

The woman stepped closer and kissed his cheek. "We should go huh?"

"Yeah. We should."

* * *

Llana sighed as she sat on the couch next to Matsuda, "She's sleep."

Matsuda fumbled nervously with the files in his hands, "Um, I saw Light today."

She nodded and put her head on his shoulder, "That's nice."

The officer put down the files and started to instead fumble with his hands. He chuckled nervously, "He asked if we were engaged yet."

Llana reached for the mans hands and held them in her own to calm him down, "Matsuda…I love you."

"I love you too. And um…"

The woman sat up and looked at him expectantly, he continued, "It's almost been four years since L died. Almost two since I told you I loved you the first time and…um…i…"

Llana put a hand through his hair and turned him to face her. She gently brushed his lips with hers and he mustered up the courage to push the kiss a little more. They broke apart breathless and blushing, "You told me yourself that L said he wanted you to protect me. He did that because he knew I loved you."

"You still cry sometimes, I didn't want to make it worse."

"If anything you make it better."

Matsuda looked at her and kissed her again, this time standing and bringing her with him.

The woman smiled as her back hit the bed and Matsuda loomed above her, he lovingly kissed her forehead and started to say something when a soft, "…mommy…", came from the other room.

Llana sighed and kissed Matsuda quickly. She smiled at him, "Oh the joys of being a parent."


	3. The Justice

**Chapter 2**

**"The Justice"**

_The world splits in two, those who scream in fear of Kira, and those who cheer for him. Gradually, the suppressed voices from the later group start to emerge to the surface. _

_ Some people started to call Kira, "The Justice," and finally…even some countries began to accept the work of Kira._

_ The world was heading towards an age of darkness where Kira reigns and rules as the new and lone law._

* * *

**October 8, 2009; Konto, Japan; Yagami Residence**

"I hate CNN."

Soichiro chuckled as he entered his living room, his wife trailing behind him with tea, "You worked in politics, I would be afraid if you didn't hate CNN."

Llana folded her arms and Matsuda put an arm around her waist. Light came in and sat down next to Misa, "Turn the volume up."

_"…true that only a week ago, Speaker Llana Wells stepped down from her position. This is what she had to say."_

The woman pouted even more as a recording of her outside the White House popped up.

_"As speaker I have been given many opportunities to serve this country in many ways. I have always believed that Americans were born with the true meaning of justice etched in their hearts. Now I feel as if I am alone in thinking that Kira is not justice. I step down from my post, for I refuse to work under a government, a country, a people, who would surrender to a murderer. That is all."_

Mrs. Yagami clapped her hands happily, "That was a beautiful speech dear."

"Thank you Mrs. Yagami." She clenched her fist, "But it was nothing compared to what I wanted to say."

"I'm home!"

Mrs. Yagami waved her daughter into the living room. Sayu smiled brightly, "Hello everyone!" the college student laid eyes on the young couple on the couch, "Llana! Matsuda!"

Llana smiled sweetly at the girl, "Hey Sayu."

"Hey! You guys are so cute! When are you getting married? I hope it's soon, maybe the my brother will jump the broom with Misa too."

Both couples blushed and Soichiro chuckled, "Sayu, they can take their time."

The girl pouted, "Whatever dad. So how is Layla?"

"She's good. Just as smart as ever, she landed in London this morning."

"Wow! Four years old and she's already flying by herself! You have family in London?"

The woman nodded and Sayu giggled, "That is so cool!"

Misa wiggled in her seat, "It is isn't it? Maybe one day all of us girls can go shopping there one weekend!"

"Oh wow! Mom, can I?"

Mrs. Yagami put a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "We'll talk about it when the time comes. Right now you should be working on your studies."

"Right. Later everybody."

Llana rest her head on Matsuda's shoulder, "She's growing so nicely. Does she have a boyfriend yet?"

Mrs. Yagami dropped the tray she was holding and Soichiro almost crushed the remote, "No, never." The two said together.

Matsuda chuckled and rest his head on Llana's. Misa cooed at the two, "You two really are cute! See Light! Why can't we be cute like that?!"

Soichiro stood and left the room as his cell rang. He tried to drown out Misa's excited squealing, "Hello?"

_"Vice Director?"_

"Yes?"

_"It's the director…."_

"WHAT?! Light, Matsuda, Llana! We're leaving!"

* * *

Llana lent forward into the front seat from the back, looking back and forth between the Yagami's, "What's going on?"

"There was a kidnapping."

Light looked to his father, "Kidnapping? Involving who kidnapping who?"

The man sighed, "The director was kidnapped, but we don't know who did it as of yet."

The female in the backseat rolled her eyes, "Like we need this kind of distraction." She pulled out her cell, "Someone find a sub for my class, I'm gonna be gone for a while."

Soichiro looked in the rear view, "Llana you don't have to do this. It has nothing to do with the Kira case."

She shook her head and met his eyes for a second, "What if it does?"

The older Yagami slammed on the breaks. Everyone jumped from the car and Matsuda fell into step with his chief, "But there is a lot of tension between the public and the police these days." He looked to his lover, "It might not be."

Light jumped into the elevator and held the doors for his companions, "Both of you have valuable points. But who would be bold enough to kidnap him if they were a regular citizen and why would Kira go to the lengths of kidnapping him instead of killing him?"

Llana was first off the elevator and the first in the meeting room, "Somebody tell us something."

Aizawa stood from his seat, "We got a demand call forty-five minutes ago."

Soichiro slipped off his suit jacket, "Did they give a demand?"

The man hung his head, "Yeah. They want the Death Note."

"…and in order to further the investigation the FBI would like for you to hand it over."

Llana raised her brows at the American. He was buff with graying blond hair, and he seemed very bold. But of course he was; walking into a room full of people who have experienced Kira first hand and demanding the Note you had to be bold.

Soichiro squared his shoulders, "Who are you?"

"My name is John McCenlo from the FBI. But it's a fake name of course."

Llana was shaking, now someone from her own country, someone who knew nothing about the pain of this case, was demanding things they couldn't have, "Who authorized your visit?"

John turned to her, "Excuse me?"

The woman took a breath to calm herself, "Who sent you here?!"

"I've said it before miss, the FBI."

"Don't lie! I trust you know who I am. And I trust that you know that I know more than you. The FBI permanently pulled out after they loss so many agents."

Matsuda grabbed her hand and the shaking stopped just a bit. John narrowed his eyes, "We request that you make a contribution to our Kira investigation by handing over the notebook to our country."

Llana took in a sharp breath of air and Soichiro slammed his hands on the table, "So it was the FBI!"

The woman looked over her shoulder at the man's suit jacket as Soichiro accused him of kidnapping the director. She eyed the buttons and got an idea, "Near and far, allies will find you."

Everyone in the room seemed to pause as they tried to contemplate what she was talking about. Light kept his thoughts to himself, it was a code, but to whom?

* * *

Near put his hands on the black headset that stood out against his snow-white hair. "It's Ideal."

A woman with neatly cut blond hair and a strict face turned to the young child, "Your sister…so the Near and far...?"

Near nodded, "She's telling me that she knows it's me. And that she'll help the best she can." The young boy smiled a little, it was almost like L's smile, "That's Ideal, she's my ally."

Another man standing over him with dark hair in wispy yet neat curls put his hands on the desk, "So what do you want to do?"

"We don't need anything else. I believe that this will be the last time for a while that we will have to come face to face with the Japanese Task Force."


	4. Twist of Fate

**Chapter 3**

**Twist of Fate**

**

* * *

  
**

**October 11, 2009; Yagami and Amane Residence**

"There is nothing here." Llana sighed as she clicked around inside the FBI mainframe, "Nothing about a notebook, not even a piece of paper. The Kira case barely exists in here. Just the names of the agents they lost."

Light swiveled in his chair to face all the officers and lone teacher in his apartment. "So he wasn't from the FBI."

"Oh no. He was from the FBI, but that's not who he's working for now." The woman retreated to her thoughts, _"That also means he could be working for one of them. But why is Near in my space?"_

Light put a hand under his chin, "We need to figure out whom he's working for, and why he was asking for the Death Note."

"Well obviously whoever he's working for wants it. But then again, why?" the woman stood and started to pace the small living room, "They could either be trying to save the director, trying to slide the case from us, or simply trying to help in general."

Light nodded, "That's possible."

The woman sat on the arm of the couch next to Matsuda, "And the kidnappers wouldn't be so formal about taking it. They want us to just hand it over."

Matsuda looked up at her, "So they're not Kira?"

"No, but the kidnappers just might be."

Aizawa sighed loudly, "The kidnappers. Speaking of them, they haven't peeped since yesterday."

Light stood from his seat, "This could be bad. All of you need to be careful, more so than usual."

Matsuda paled and stiffened, causing Llana to giggle just a little, "Chicken."

The man blushed, "Well I was thinking that maybe we could just sleep at the station. It would be safer than the house."

Llana shook her head before and thought struck her hard. She thought of her own daughter, Aizawa's wife and daughter, and Soichiro's wife and daughter. "Wait a minute. Families could be in trouble too. We need to keep them close, all of them should be checking in at-!"

She was cut off when Soichiro's cell started to ring. He calmly pulled it from his pocket and eyed the caller I.D. "It's the directors cell number!"

Aizawa was immediately turning on the trace machine and slipping on his headset, as was Matsuda. Llana lent in close to the man as he gave his superior thumbs up and he opened the phone, she felt as though she would need to hear every word of this.

"This is Yagami."

_ "About the trade for the chief. It's off. He's dead."_

Llana narrowed her eyes at nothing, _'I know this voice; I know I do.' _She thought.

Soichiro balled his fists, "You bastards!"

_"But when we say it's off, that means exchanging the chief for the notebook. Now we'll exchange Sayu Yagami."_

* * *

"She's not answering." Llana raked her hand through her hair, "Aizawa how is that trace coming?"

"Los Angeles."

Matsuda raised his brows in surprise. "That far?"

The woman sighed and handed him her own cell, "Trace Sayu's too ok?"

"I'm on it."

The woman started shaking a little and stood to pace the room. Aizawa was stressed out as well, so he knew what was up with her. Her daughter may be all the way in Winchester, but she has the right to worry about her only child.

Matsuda stood next to her and hugged her lightly, "Let's call Layla. I think you'll feel better when you hear her voice."

The couple slipped into the hallway and Matsuda handed the woman his own phone. She purposely brushed his hand and held in tight as she dialed Whammy's number.

Matsuda openly embraced her as she waited for someone to answer, she snuggled his neck and took a deep breath, "Hey Roger. Um, can I speak to Layla?"

_"But Ideal..."_

"I know it's late, please."

There was a slight pause before another voice came through the phone, _"Hello mommy…"_

"Hey baby. I'm sorry for waking you up."

The tiny voice yawned, _"S'okay mommy. Why are you crying?"_

The woman tried to wipe away her tears but Matsuda did it for her, smiling slightly, "I'm okay sweetie. I just wanted to hear your voice?"

Llana could almost hear the child's smile, _"I can sing for you."_

The woman chuckled, "Sing for daddy."

Matsuda blushed and smiled brightly as the small child started to sing into the phone. He slowly started to sway as Llana wrapped her arms around his waist. She smiled up at him, "Hey."

He looked down and she pecked him lightly on the lips, "Thank you."

* * *

**October 11, 2009; Tokyo, Japan; Matsuda Residence; 11:45 p.m.**

How is it that he had this, such a beautiful person and woman within his reach?

Everyday Matsuda found himself asking this. Why was it that Llana had immediately attached herself to him, as if he was her only other lifeline. The man, now the age of twenty-eight, sat on the edge of the bed. Causing the sleeping woman to stir a bit.

She rolled over. Her white nightgown, falling off her shoulder, causing him to reach out and touch her.

He blushed as her violet eyes landed on him sleepily. She smiled and rolled onto their back, "Hey."

"Hey."

She glanced around the room, then back at him. He was partially dressed; boxers and his button up barely buttoned, showing off his white t-shirt. "You need to come and sleep. I know you're nervous but sleep will make it better."

He just put a hand through his hair, "I'm just stressed."

Llana sat up, getting on her knees, and reached out for him, bringing him close and kissing his head. "I love you."

"Wha-?"

"I know, it's random, and sudden, but L…he knew. He knew that I had never stopped loving you."

Matsuda wrapped his arms and her slim waist and she gently put her hand under his chin. Llana would never get tired of getting lost in those chocolate eyes.

The man smiled before leaning closer, "I love you too."

He was infatuated with every minute. How she smiled at him and she breathed sharply in his ear.

Llana put her hands in his hair and kissed him deeply; as deep as possible without the two of them suffocating.

The woman bit her lip as Matsuda gently kissed her neck, specifically the scar from her crash almost four years ago, and sliding his hand up her nightgown. She arched up and sighed, "…Matsuda…"

"Y-yes? Do you want me to stop?"

"No, please don't."

It went on with soft kisses and touches until Matsuda's phone started to buzz across the nightstand.

Llana laughed and answered it for him as he buried his face in the pillow with a groan. "Hello?"

_"We've heard from the kidnapper. You guys need to come immediately."_

_

* * *

  
_

**October 12, 2009; Washington, D.C, U.S.; SPK Headquarters**

"So this woman is with the task force in Japan?"

Near nodded and placed another match on top of the thousands he had already placed to create his city. "She was like my big sister. Her intellect is well equal to that of my own, maybe even higher."

"Then why isn't she here?"

The young child sighed, "She is in the place that needs her intellect the most. Maybe later on we can ask her to join us, but for now she needs to stay where she is." He placed the final match on top of a skyscraper, "Now, what's happening with the kidnapping?"

"The director was murdered. They found his body this morning in L.A."

"Killed? By whom?"

A tall burly man with a buzz cut stepped closer to Near, "By the kidnappers of course."

"Indeed, with their hostage dead the kidnappers can't exactly carry out their exchange can they? And if it's Kira…" The boy took the time to spin his chair so he was facing the adults in the room, "The news that the director was killed in America has undoubtedly reached Japan, that makes this case international, now we may easily enter into it."

"That's true, but Kira…"

"Kira is behind all of this, it's no coincidence. Now, on another matter…" the boy held up a picture of another boy, blond hair and wide eyes, "Where are the whereabouts of this man?"

* * *

**October 12, 2009, Tokyo, Japan; Task Force Headquarters **

Llana stood at the door and looked around the metallic room, "Why am I here?" she whispered to herself.

A warm hand moved onto her shoulder and she immediately knew who it was, "Are you ok?"

She turned to Matsuda, "I will be." She walked over to the large computer screens as everyone else walked into the all too familiar place. "Alright everyone, Yuki left for Japan on the tenth so she should be here in a few hours. Until she gets here we need to set up and get ready, we have a job to do."


	5. Let it Begin

**Chapter 4**

**Let it Begin**

**A/N: **Hey guys. Just a slight note, wanted to say i missed you guys is all. Just to those who were my faithful reviewers for this story's prequal, if your reading this, REVIEW!!! I miss you the most!!!

* * *

**October 13, 2009; Tokyo Japan; Task Force Headquarters**

"Llana…"

The woman looked up from her suitcase at the man. He was dressed comfortably in jeans and a dress shirt. He had a cute pout on his face; at least Llana thought it was cute. She smiled at him, "Yes?"

"I can't find my red tie."

She raised a brow, "You have a million red ties."

"I can't find my _favorite_ red tie."

"Touta Matsuda, pick a red tie, put it in the bag and relax."

The man ran back into the bedroom from the large closet with a red tie in his hand, "I found it!"

The woman calmly walked over to him and took the tie, placing it on the bed. "You need to relax." She pushed him onto the bed so he was sitting and crawled behind him, slowly working his shoulders.

"I can't relax. I'm worried about Sayu-chan."

Llana hugged him from behind, kissing his cheek, "I'm worried about her too. I really am. But I don't want to see you stressed out. I miss your smile."

"Light and the Chief are really upset."

"I know. Just as we would be if it was Layla."

The man nodded, "That's all I can think about."

The woman rest her forehead between his shoulder blades, taking in a deep breath, letting his cologne fill her nose, "I know."

She crawled off the bed as a knock sounded at the door. She swiftly moved through the condo like space and swung open the door. Yuki looked up at the woman. "Light just called a meeting."

Llana sighed, "Alright." She turned to yell back into the room, "Matsuda!"

The two adults followed the dark haired woman down the hall and into the elevator. Yuki sighed, "Jesus, I just got here and now I'm hearing all of this."

The violet-eyed woman put a hand on her shoulder, "Well we thank you for coming here with us. We need as much help as we can get right now."

Yuki shook her head, "I still can't believe this. Sayu is such a sweet kid."

"That's exactly what she is, a kid. And her situation is unnecessary."

Matsuda nodded as he made way for the women to step off the elevator before him, "We'll get her out ok."

Soichiro stood as the other adults entered the room. Light swiveled his chair to face everyone. "We need to get a plan together. Obviously, whoever this is is organized. We'll look suspicious if we all fly into America together."

Llana nodded, "I agree, we need to be as inconspicuous as possible."

The brown-eyed officer next to her looked at her, "How do we do that?"

Aizawa stood up, "We all go separately and stay in different hotels. Some of us might even have to change their appearance."

The violet-eyed woman nodded, "I'll have to. People in America know my face." She noticed Matsuda's look, "It won't be drastic." She said, reassuringly.

Light stood and started handing out plane tickets. "Misa and I will go as a couple. Matsuda and Llana will go as one also and at the same time as us. We'll leave today as planned."

He handed a ticket to Mogi and his father, "Mogi you'll go alone tomorrow morning. Dad, you leave tomorrow afternoon." He handed another ticket to Aizawa, "Aizawa I need you to leave at the same time as my dad."

Ide and Yuki were the last to receive a ticket, "Ide, leave tomorrow evening with Yuki. Be a couple."

Yuki stuck out her tongue and Llana nudged her, "Just for now. This should work for everyone. Light and I need to be the first one's there anyway. We need to set up and continue to access the situation."

Light nodded in agreement, "And Yuki you'll be last to leave because we need as much surveillance here until we are all settled in. The last thing we need is Japanese authorities bringing us back."

Ide sighed, "I guess I'm going with her for protection purposes."

The young adult nodded again. Yuki stood from her seat and settled before the computer. She started clicking around then turned back to everyone, "We'll be using the 'shared number' system for communication."

Matsuda walked over to the computer so he could get a better look at the screen, "Shared number?"

Llana sat on the arm of the couch and crossed her legs, "We all get a cell phone that has the same number. So when one of us gets called, all of us can listen and speak. It's a lot more inconspicuous than radios and listening devices."

Light crossed his arms, "Excellent idea. That way we don't have to put anything on the person carrying the note."

"I think the chief should carry it.

"I agree with Matsuda." Yuki said.

"Me too." Llana started, "It makes all the sense in the world that you should be the one to have it." she said to the older Yagami.

"Then it's decided."

Everyone in the room turned their heads when Light's cell started to ring. He picked it up cautiously and pressed the speaker button, "Hello?"

"_I wish to speak to L."_

Light's forehead creased, "Who is this?"

"_You may call me N."_

Llana's brows raised and she immediately relaxed her face as Light looked at her, leading to everyone looking at her, "What are you waiting for Light?" she asked.

The young man nodded and brought the phone a bit closer to his face, "This is L."

The voice on the other end stayed silent for a minute, _"A little bird told me you were taking physical part in this kidnapping."_

'He doesn't know the circumstances have changed.' Llana thought.

Light sat down, "Are you calling to tell us we cannot?"

"_Quite the opposite actually. I'm calling to inform you that you may proceed."_

"So now we need permission?"

"_Maybe you do. I can't have you coming here and being reckless. After all, your only the second L."_

"Excuse me?"

"_Did you really think I wouldn't know about the death of L? Hm, seems like you underestimate me."_

Light glared at the phone, "I guess I did. Don't worry about us. We'll be in and out problem solved."

"_Sure you will." _

Light hung up the phone angrily, "I can't believe he knows. How did it get out?"

Llana stood and turned to leave the room, "Don't worry about it. C'mon, we need to get packed."

* * *

**October 14, 2009; Tokyo Japan; Task Force Headquarters; 6 a.m.**

"Hey Matsu, you ready to go?"

"Yeah I'm…wow…you look…"

Llana smiled, "I'm guessing you want to say different." She did a quick twirl. Her long dark chocolate hair was now shoulder length and black, slanted bangs were cut in and she had her blue contacts in.

"Beautiful. But…"

"Don't worry, I'm still the same person." She moved to the door and grabbed her bag, "The hair dye isn't permanent, just the cut."

Matsuda blushed as he closed the door behind them, "It looks good."

The couple walked down the short hall to the elevator on their level. It opened up and Misa hung herself from the other female's neck, "Llana! You look gorgeous! You should be a model!"

"Hey Misa."

Once they were all settled in the blonde didn't un-attach herself. Instead she hugged the woman around the waist, "I missed you so much!"

"Misa, you saw me three days ago."

"I know! But I get lonely so easily! Light doesn't let me have any friends."

The young man looked at his watch, "Now you know that's not true Misa."

She stuck her tongue out at him; no matter how old she was she still behaved like a child. Llana sighed and glanced around at the metal box, she stopped to quickly fix Matsuda's collar, he blushed.

"You guys are so cute!" Misa cooed. "Hey, do you two sleep together? You know like, sleep sleep together? Cuz Light has been so uptight these days…"

"Misa!" The Yagami scolded.

The other couple looked at each other, both thinking the same thing, 'This is gonna be a long flight.'


	6. Nightmares

**Chapter 5**

**Nightmares**

**A/N:** Hello there! Next chapter of this lovely sequel, I hope you enjoy!!!

* * *

_"L! Look at me!"_

_He did, or at least he tried. He looked so strangely calm, despite his lover screaming with everything she had, "Don't do this to me!"_

_The room was spinning; so much was going on yet so much was still. So many memories flashed in her mind yet dreams of the future lingered at the edge, "L…please…"_

_He responded only a little, her long hair, sprawled across his aching chest was now tangled in his spidery fingers. He tried to smile, but it looked so pained. A choked sob ripped at her throat and she bent to his level, holding his body so close to hers, feeling the heat being ripped from him, "I love you. You can't leave me."_

_The painful smile slipped away as he closed his dark eyes, "I'll die without you! I can't do this on my own!"_

_His eyes softly fluttered open; glancing over her shoulder he moved his lips, no sound escaping. For a moment the woman forgot that she could read lips, and in that moment, she woke up._

Matsuda looked at the woman worriedly, "Llana are you ok? Was it that dream again?"

She nodded, "Yeah it was…but I'm fine, thank you."

The officer nodded and held her hand in his, fingers laced, and turned to look out the small porthole window of the plane.

Llana had had this dream many times, over and over. It was as if it never ended, and the end, had actually never happened. Even when Matsuda would wake her, she would not fall back into slumber, too afraid to see it through, too afraid to see what her mind had cooked up.

She sighed as she closed her eyes, telling herself not to sleep, just to rest. L's face appeared before her again. His lips moving silently, trying to tell her something and she just couldn't understand it.

"Passengers, please fasten your seatbelts, we'll be landing soon."

The woman opened her eyes as Matsuda squeezed her hand gently and smiled at her. She could only smile back at him. He had that effect. Whatever he was feeling, others felt it. He was excited and nervous, and possibly a bit scared, and the woman felt it all.

* * *

Matsuda sighed loudly as he jumped on the bed in the plush hotel room. Llana laughed and threw open the curtains, looking down at the city lights.

"Has Light called yet?"

"No. Misa has, she was really upset about having a different hotel from him." The woman sat on the bed, "I think Light needs the break."

She looked over at the clock; it was ten p.m. "Matsu we should get to sleep."

She walked into the bathroom but peaked back out when she didn't get an answer, "Matsu? Matsuda?"

Llana went back into the room and smiled at the man as he snored softly on his back. The woman changed her clothes and came back into the room. She softly kissed his forehead and whispered in his ear. Waking him enough to help him undress and get him in the bed.

Matsuda mumbled as she climbed in and immediately grabbed for her, pulling her body as close as possible. She snuggled into his chest and glanced up at his sleeping face, 'He's done so much for me.' She thought. She smiled before lightly kissing his lips, 'Thank you Matsuda.'

Llana really wasn't sure why she always felt as though she was being ripped from her sleep. "…ana! Llana wake up!"

The woman watched as Matsuda hopped around the room on one leg, trying to put on his sock. "Matsu, your gonna…" she trailed off as he fell over and hit his head, "…hurt yourself."

She climbed from the bed and helped him stand, sitting him on the bed. The man watched as she disappeared into the bathroom, coming back with the entire bag of ice from the bowl.

The officer flinched as she placed it on his head, "Now, slow down and tell me what's happening."

* * *

"We're here! Sorry it took so long!"

Llana went over to the desk where Light was sitting, "What's happening? Anything new?"

"No. We're just lucky that Aizawa was on the flight my dad took."

"He changed flights?"

Light nodded as the woman pulled out her computer, "Well, I still want to track him." She pulled up several windows filled with nothing but numbers and slipped in an earpiece.

The two males in the room watched as her hands moved quickly about the keyboard. Before long she had radars up with little bleeping dots on them. Matsuda freaked out, "Did you just hack the Japanese flight tower?"

"Yes Matsuda, I did."

She typed in some more things and gasped. Light put an urgent hand on her shoulder, "What?"

"The flight changed its course. Whoever we're dealing with just hijacked the plane."

"Shit!"

"Light you need to relax. I can't concentrate with the two of you freaking out." There were more taps on the keys, "Yuki."

_"Yeah I'm here. Just heard the bad news, is everything ok?"_

"No, I have more bad news."

_"Oh goodness."_

"Yeah. I need you to hack the Japanese flight tower and block anything they have on Flight SE333."

_"Can do mama. What're you gonna do?"_

"I'm going to track that plane myself. Open up the lines when I call back. We're gonna need to get the civilians out of there ASAP."

_"Alright."_

Llana ended the connection and continued to connect to the flight. "Matsuda, I need you to connect to the tower. I need you to pretend to be a worker ok? The last things we need are the hijackers knowing that they've been cut off."

Light was simply watching the woman; she could see the gears in his head turning. "Light."

"Yes?"

"I know what you're thinking. What can we do? How did this happen? How do we stop this?"

He nodded and she sighed, "Track your father's cell. We'll need to know where's he's going when he gets off that plane so we can get a satellite on him."

Matsuda waved the other two people over to him and his computer. "I got something from flight SE333. They say they are not hijacking the plane, they are only dropping off one passenger."

Light's computer beeped and he sat in front of it. Llana peeked over her laptop for a second, "What is it?"

"A message from Aizawa." The young man opened it, "He says the my dad and the man he got on the plane with are sitting next to each other. He says he can see them clearly and they aren't acting unusual in any way."

Llana bit her lip, "I'm guessing you know what to say to him?"

Light answered her by sitting before the computer and typing up a message. He sent a copy to the woman across the room, _"Your plane has been hijacked, it's veering off course. They say they're going to drop off my dad somewhere. Keep an eye on them at all times. Are you sure the man is with my_ _dad?"_

She looked across the room at him, "What did he say?"

"He says that the man my father entered the plan with is sitting next to him quietly. And that everyone on the plane is calm, they don't know what's going on."

"I guess that's a good thing." She looked over at Matsuda who was concentrating on his computer. "Matsu?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you pull up the pilots of the plane?"

The man did as he was asked, "They both check out. The captain is a fifteen year veteran and the co-pilot is clean."

Light put a hand under his chin, "They are the one's flying the plane, there's no doubt about it. They were persuaded."

It was quiet for a minute before Light's cell phone started to ring. Llana noticed it was his personal one and he stepped into the hall. She sighed and rubbed her temple. Matsuda watched her from the other side of the room, "Llana?"

"Yeah Matsu?"

"It's gonna be ok."

She managed a small smile, "I know." She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to relax. It didn't surprise her that once again L's face flashed before her eyes, his lips moving in his steady silent message.

Llana relaxed herself, trying to fight back her tears, knowing it would be hard to tell Matsuda and possibly Light why she was crying. She calmly read his lips, the sweet lips that she could no longer kiss and almost gasped loudly at the name he spoke, 'Light.'

It wasn't long before Light entered the room and the woman snapped open her eyes, composing herself, "Who was it?"

"Misa. She was worried."

The woman nodded as her own phone started ringing. She answered it, "Hello?"

_"Ideal, it's Near."_


	7. Reunion

**Chapter 6**

**Reunion**

**

* * *

  
**

**October 16, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Hampton Suites**

Illiana tried to keep her composer as she walked into the hall, "I never thought I would have to question your mind."

She heard a few things clink on the other end and new he was tinkering with his toys, _"This new L is very interesting."_

She sighed and rubbed her eyes. The toy's clanked again, _"You don't trust him?"_

"That's hard to determine right now."

_"He was L's main suspect."_

"Near, I know you didn't call to question me about Light."

_"You are correct as usual Ideal."_ His voice floated in softly over the phone, _"Actually I wanted ask if you've heard from Mello?"_

The woman felt her heart stop, "N-no I haven't actually. Why?"

_ "I have reason to believe that he is involved in this kidnapping. Actually more than involved, he's orchestrating it."_

Illiana clutched her free hand into a fist, "That would make sense but…what proof do you have of this? Other than the fact that this whole thing smells like him?"

Near sighed, _"I had my team search for his whereabouts. I have a satellite on his location now. And by coincidence, one of you're team members is standing in my view with a briefcase."_

Matsuda flung open the door, "Llana! Yuki got the satellite feed up!"

The woman clutched her cell in her hand as she followed Matsuda back into the room. She looked at the screen to see Yagami with a briefcase in his hands, standing in the middle of the desert. "We'll talk about this later."

Light glanced at her as she hung up her phone. Keeping a completely straight face. He looked back to the screen as her violet eyes landed on him. "Call him."

Matsuda looked over to the woman, "But they have a bug on him! They might-!"

"Trust me." She cut her lover off before smiling gently, "They won't hurt him and nothing will go wrong. Call him."

* * *

**October 16, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Uncharted Dessert Area**

Yagami felt himself flinch as his cell phone went off. _"It's ok now, you can answer it." _The voice said in his ear.

He reached into his pocket and pressed the talk button, he felt himself almost relax at Llana's voice, _"We're sending a chopper for you."_

_"That's a good move. We don't want to keep him and his daughter here any longer than we need to."_ The 'kidnapper said.

Yagami clutched the briefcase tighter in his hand, and pressed the phone tighter to his ear, "How do I get in?"

The ground beneath him started to rumble and he stepped back as a trap door lifted up. _"Go down and you'll receive further directions."_

_"Wait a minute."_ Llana interrupted. _"You and Sayu are the priority here, L said it doesn't mater if you hand over the book or not. Just do it and get out."_

_"We won't hurt him." _The kidnapper said smugly.

_"I'm very aware of that. But my job is to bring back this man and his daughter safely. We wouldn't be going through this if you hadn't taken her. You know better."_

Yagami was beyond confused. Llana was talking to this man as if she was scolding a child, as if she knew him. The man clutched the briefcase again and went underground. The signal on Llana's end started to go fuzzy, _"I'm… lose… underground. …remember what …said."_

"Right."

* * *

Llana sighed as she hung up the phone, "Not much we can do now. Light, are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Just not happy about what's happening."

She sat down on the couch and crossed her arms, "None of us are." Her phone rang again, along with Light's and Matsuda's.

Light answered his first, "Hello?"

_"How is he doing?"_

"He's fine. He just went underground for the exchange so we lost our visual. Where are you?"

_"The plane just landed. I'm on my way now."_

"Ok, I'll look out for you. Call when you pull up."

_"Sure."_

Llana sighed loudly and but her head in her hands. It was Mello, how could she not see that it was Mello. Every aspect of this sounded like him. Her laptop bleeped and she flipped it open, _"I told you he'd be fine."_

_"He's out!"_ Matsuda exclaimed.

She looked over at the larger computer to see Yagami exit the whole in the ground with his shivering daughter. She then smirked once she noticed that he managed to get what he wanted. She turned back to her computer and typed. _"Guess I'm proud of you huh?"_

She could almost see his cute little smirk, _"Yup."_

Light closed his phone, "Aizawa is here."

"I'll go get him, Matsu I-! What is that!"

Llana turned everyone's attention to the screen, and the large missile that had rose from the ground. "Matsu go get Aizawa!" she slipped into the man's vacant chair and slipped on his headset, "Yuki!"

_"I hear you loud and clear!"_

"I need a visual on the missile."

Light clutched his hand into a fist. "What are they planning? It's not headed for the chopper is it?"

The woman shook her head, "No, but I'm pretty sure the notebook is on it. If it lands someplace desolate retrieving it later will be easy."

"They're relocating." The young man said.

"Makes sense. We know where they are now."

Aizawa was in the room with Matsuda trailing behind him, "What's this about a missile." He said, getting strait to the point.

Llana waved him off, "I'm handling it."

He nodded, "One more interesting fact. The man who escorted the Chief onto the plane died of an heart attack the moment the plane landed."

Light's computer beeped and he clicked the mouse, "This is L."

_"Hello L, its N. We're taking the director and his daughter to the Los Angeles Police station. You don't mind do you?"_

"What do you need with them?"

_ "Just a question or two. If that makes you uncomfortable you can listen in…"_

He looked over at Llana who nodded before turning back to her computer. She started to type furiously as Yuki's visual of the missile popped onto the screen. She was instantly putting in make, model, and serial number so she could track it. She minimized the window and turned back to Light who was waiting for N to set up the interviews. "I lost the missile."

The young man sighed, "Alright."

The woman then turned back to the computer, and saw that the missile exploded somewhere over Ney York City. 'I know Near has something on it. I'll let him handle it. Besides, Mello could use the upper hand.' She thought.

Matsuda looked at Llana strangely as he caught her closing the window with the view of the missile clearly on it. She looked at him and winked, holding a finger to her lips as if to tell him to keep it a secret.

* * *

**October 17, 2010; Washington, D.C.; SPK Headquarters**

"We'll be taking care of the notebook and the kidnappers by ourselves. You mistook my meaning of cooperation, I only meant it for the kidnapping." Near found himself smiling as he said this.

He only knew this Light person from phone calls but he could tell that he hated not having control, and that he was squirming in his skin right now. The young boy only continued to slowly stack the die in the table as on of his team members feel to the ground, clutching his chest.

Even with all of the death around him he managed to keep his cool. Only speaking as 'L's' electronic voice floated over the phone, right after another member shot himself, _"N what was that?! Was that a gunshot just now?"_

"It appears we have been beaten."

_"Beaten?"_

"Majority of my team, the SPK, has been wiped out. No doubt by Kira." He sighed, "I had a feeling there was a spy amongst us…"

Light smirked from where he was, _"N, are you the only one left?"_

The boy looked around at the remaining three members, "No. But I will not say how many of us there are."

There was a silence until he noticed his distressed team. "I must go. Seems I have a new problem to handle.

A/N: I called this one Reunion because it's almost like Llana, Near and Mello sort of caught up with each other, that and Soichiro (and I guess Light) got Sayu back.


	8. Family Matters

**Chapter 7**

**Family Matters**

**October 19, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Somewhere in the City**

Matsuda smiled at the woman as they sat down in the café and she smiled back. Yuki and Ide had arrived that morning and Soichiro went home with Sayu. The man frowned when he noticed Llana looking into her coffee cup with a sad expression.

"Are you ok?"

She reached across the table and held his hand; fingers laced together, "I know you noticed how I've been reacting to N and the supposed kidnappers."

He nodded; he noticed he just didn't want to say anything. Llana sighed, "There are some things about me that as someone so close to me, you need to know."

"Llana I don't understand."

"Remember when I showed you those pictures? Of me and L and those other children?" she unconsciously grabbed her locket.

Matsuda nodded and she squeezed his hand. "N and the kidnapper where in those photos. I personally know them both and have been keeping contact with them both since L died."

"But…then…you could have…"

She nodded, "I know. I could have resolved everything myself. But…it's against a silent rule."

"Where are you going with this? What are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm trying to tell you that L and those children, me…we're not…normal."

Matsuda listened intently as she told him everything. About her adoption and her life in Whammy's. About the boy's named Near, Mello, and Matt…and their real names. She told him about the other children, and that they all were extremely special in the genius way.

The man finished his coffee and looked up at her with a smile, "I'm glad you told me all of this."

"You were going to learn it sooner or later. That is, if you're in my life as long as I want you to be."

The couple paid and walked back onto the L.A. streets, moving towards their hotel under the city lights. Matsuda put his free hand in his pocket and eyed the woman nervously as she walked with her hand in his and her head on his shoulder, "Il-…um, Illiana."

She smiled brightly at him as he whispered her name, "Yeah?"

The woman gasped when his hand slipped from hers as he got on one knee. "I would have done this sooner. But…I really can't figure exactly what was holding me back." He blushed, "I…I love you and I want to be in your life forever, I want to know more about you than I already do. I want to go through this case knowing that I have more to fight for…"

"Matsuda…"

"Illiana Blackwell?"

She nodded in approval of him using her full, real, name, "Yes Touta?"

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

**October 20, 2010; L.A.; Marriot Suites Hotel**

Aizawa smirked as he watched Llana at the computer. She would occasionally glance at her hand and stare at it longingly. The man had already noticed the sparkling, and actually rather nice sized, rock on her finger.

He nudged the young officer next to him who looked at him with slightly startled brown eyes. They softened as the man nodded in approval and congratulations. He welcomed it; it was better than Yuki's blatant yet love based teasing.

Light glared over his shoulder at her as she once again looked at the ring. In his mind she didn't deserve to be happy... Every time he started to get somewhere she seemed to pop up and ruin it. It almost never failed.

As if on cue Light's computer bleeped, everyone looked over, expecting the gothic N to appear. It didn't, instead there was a D.

The young man looked over at Llana who looked at Yuki who nodded, "It's the president. Answer it." The short woman said.

Light pressed the button on the mike and leaned in, "This is L."

_"L, I…I need you to tell me what you know about the notebook. …Everything."_ His speech was almost afraid, panicked. It didn't sound as confident and well put together as usual.

Llana approached her desk and hit the 'I' on her keyboard, "Mr. President, this is Llana, who is making you ask these questions? Who's blackmailing you? Kira or the kidnappers?"

The man's crackly sigh came through the speakers, _"You know me too well. This would be easier with you around, you too Yuki."_

The woman sighed too, "Sorry."

Yuki did the same, "Same here. But I had to step away."

_ "I understand. …It's the kidnappers. They're threatening my life."_

Light took over, "Don't worry sir. We'll handle this situation way before anyone can get their hands on you."

Llana raised her brows at Light's back. She didn't like the tone he used, he sounded almost too assured, almost as if he didn't really care. The President gave his thanks and hung up. Light stood and scratched his head, "I guess we should shut down for the night. I promised Misa some 'quality time'." He said, using air quotes.

Matsuda stood and slipped on his jacket, helping Llana with hers. Yuki smirked at the man, "Somebody is in a hurry to leave." She commented suggestively.

He blushed and Llana smiled, "Whatever he has planned I'm sure I'll like it."

The women giggled and Llana grabbed Matsuda, pulling him from the room. He instantly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled out his cell phone with his free hand. The other line didn't pick up until the couple was in a cab.

_"Daddy?"_

"Morning Layla."

_"Daddy it's early."_ The small girl whined.

"I'm sorry baby."

Llana felt her heart swell at hearing him call her that. She snuggled up to him, letting his short hair tickle her face. _"Is mommy there?"_ Layla asked.

"Yes. Here she is."

The woman smiled as she put the phone to her ear, "Hey honey."

_"Hi mommy. Did you know that Mr. Roger doesn't like cats? He doesn't like Jazz at all."_ She said cutely. Llana could tell her daughter was still waking up.

"No I didn't know that. Maybe you should keep Jazz in your room huh?"

_"Okay. Mommy?"_

"Yes?"

_ "When are you and daddy coming to get me?"_

Llana bit her lip and looked at Matsuda, her eyes watering slightly, "Soon sweetheart, soon. We promise."

* * *

**October 27, 2010**

She wasn't going to question him. Even though she badly wanted to. How he got the address to the hideout, Mello's hideout, her little brother's hideout, she would never know.

And frankly, as long as Light didn't get his hands on him, she didn't care.

Light clicked on his computer, showing a video feed of the SWAT that was waiting to go into the supposed 'hideout'. "We're clear. You have one value, one goal, above everything else. The retrieval of that notebook."

Llana lent next to the young man and Matsuda came up behind her, "This is it huh?"

"Yeah."

"Go in, now!"

The team rushed the doors and flung them open. Llana noticed the cameras and the lack of opposing gunfire. "Light, something isn't right. Get them out."

"What?"

"Get them out! Now!"

The other people in the hotel room gasped and leant in closer to the spectacle. All of the helmets were being ripped right from the SWAT team's heads. And one by one they started dropping like flies.

Llana reached over the stunned Light and hit the mike button, "Fall back! Fall back right now!"

But it was too late. All of them were dead and Llana ran a hand through her hair. Turning her violet eyes to the screen one last time. She almost stopped breathing as she noticed the beast on the screen, "Shinigami…" she said very low.

Light looked up at her and Matsuda pulled her into his arms, "Are you ok?"

She looked up at him, is brown eyes and everything else were grey. She closed her eyes tight before opening them make up. She nodded.

Aizawa growled out a 'dammit' and put his hands on the desk, "Light we need to call the SPK."

"No."

"We just lost about nine L.A. SWAT officers!"

"They already know. They are the next organization after the police here. There is no way they didn't know. Either way you look at it, it's a Shinigami."

Llana broke away from Matsuda, "Excuse me."

"I'm very sorry about keeping this form you. All of us are."

She looked at her fiancé and turned back to Light, "Keep what from me?"

Matsuda sat her on the couch, "Shinigami. They partner with the death note and if you touch the note you can see them. WE all touched it when you were…uh…pregnant."

She stood, nodding slowly, "I think I need some air."

The man followed his lover out, panicking slightly as she leant heavily against the wall, "What's wrong?"

"I see them. The names and numbers over everyone's head, the monsters…the Shinigami. It only happens every once in a while, but when it happens…"

Matsuda pulled her into his arms once again. Kissing her head and rocking her, "But, but you never touched…"

She started to cry and wrinkled his button up in her hands, "What's happening to me?"


	9. The Silent Rule

**Chapter 8**

**The Silent Rule**

**A/N:** Hello all! Just thought I should say hey to you guys. I wanted to give my love to those of you that review, and welcome my new readers! I'm glad you all like it!

P.S. The Sofitel is a real place. LOL

* * *

**October 28, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Sofitel Luxury Hotel**

Llana smiled as she felt his breath on her neck. It was smooth and even and as she rolled over to watch his sleeping face, he pulled her closer and whimpered cutely, his warm naked skin against hers and his soft black hair tickling her face.

"Touta…"

His brown eyes slowly opened and he smiled, she knew she made him happy, but he had no idea that he did way more for her.

Matsuda yawned and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Morning."

The woman grinned, "Morning." She traced the muscles outlining his chest, "You know, I'm loving the idea of being Mrs. Matsuda."

He blushed, "I was hoping you would."

She giggled and kissed his chest. They were both slowly drifting back to sleep when Llana sat up. Causing the man to groan like an angry toddler. "C'mon. We need to get up."

"Can't we just wait until Light-kun calls? We could always just wait until he calls."

She slipped from the bed, taking the thin sheets with her so she could cover her naked body. "We can take a shower together." She teased.

The man dove from the bed and grabbed her up, running into the bathroom.

* * *

"Morning everybody."

Light swiveled his chair, "Morning. Are you alright?"

She sat at her station in the room and nodded, "Yes. I'm fine. Why?"

"You just look a bit down."

"I'm just tired. Tired of everything."

Aizawa sighed as he flopped onto the couch next to Matsuda, "I hear you."

Light turned back to his computer and started to type away. "We need a new approach. After what happened two day's ago, we need to pick up where we left off."

"And change it. We can't risk anyone else's life like that."

The young man nodded and his computer beeped. He hadn't even had the time to answer it when an apparent hack opened the lines, _"So L. You thought you could beat me?"_

"That could have easily been a test." Light bit back angrily, his voice being hidden by the voice changer.

_"Whatever. And who exactly picked you to be the next L? I know it wasn't Ideal. She's smarter than that."_

Llana slapped a hand over her mouth in complete shock. She couldn't believe he had said that out loud. Light glared at her then looked back to the computer, "What are you talking about."

_"Stop stalling. I know she's there. Ideal!"_ he called.

The woman stomped over to the computer and slammed her hand down on the desk, "I am so disappointed in you! Do you have any idea what you are doing?!" she yelled at the computer.

_ "Somewhat."_

"I never thought you would take anything this far! You know better! You've never broken the rules like this before!"

Mello sighed, _"Just look at it this way. I did what both L and that stupid squirt Near couldn't do. You should be proud."_

She clenched her fists, "I don't have any reason to be."

Light folded his arms as Llana terminated the connection. Matsuda bit his lip and touched her shoulder. She lightly shrugged away, "Everybody take a seat. This is gonna be a long story."

* * *

"A silent rule? Llana you can't keep this kind of information from us! How long have you known it was the two of them?"

It took everything Llana had in her not to glare at Light and set him straight, "Two days after the kidnapping of the director."

"And you weren't going to say anything?!"

"Of course not! I would never put my family in harms way like that!"

Light looked taken back but his eyes glittered with hate, "Excuse me?"

Yuki stood up, "Look. These two kids are apparently the cream of the crop. And it seems like they are both on our side."

Llana nodded, "They would never go against me. At least not violently."

"Not violently?! They took my daughter!" Yagami yelled.

"And they didn't harm her!" Llana took a deep breath. She normally didn't yell. "They didn't harm her and they never planned too."

"So this Near person is N isn't it?"

She nodded.

"And Mello is the other one?" Light asked again.

She nodded again. Light took a seat, "Tell us about that orphanage."

The woman sat down too and wrapped her slim fingers around her locket, "It's called Whammy's House. It's in Winchester."

"London?"

"Yes. A famous inventor founded it by the name of Whammy. You all know him as Watari. L was one of the first children he had ever brought in. The best. Soon all of the other children were brought in specifically to take his place if something ever happened."

Light folded his hands under his chin, "A mansion full of heirs."

"Exactly."

"So these other children, they are all geniuses like L…like you?" Aizawa asked.

She nodded, "Some invent, some write, some are artists, some become world renowned philosophers…and a few are chosen to one day succeed L."

"So if you were in that line, why did L pick me?" Light asked.

"He knew I wouldn't do it. He probably had other motives, but none of us know them."

The young man narrowed his gaze on her, "And you chose N behind my back."

"I chose both of them and the last time I checked you aren't in charge of me." Llana bit back. "I could easily leave."

"You could. But I know you won't. Too much has been started here-"

"And nothing is getting finished!" she stood up, "Something told me not to stay around here, not to trust you and I don't." she looked around the room at the faces of the people who had been through so much with her. "I'm leaving."

Light stood also, "And where will you go? Back to the Whitehouse? You're better off here. "

Llana sneered at Light, "It doesn't matter. As long as I'm away from you. L didn't trust you and neither do I. He let down his guard and died."

The young man ignored the tears streaming down her face, "Are you accusing me of being Kira? Of killing L?"

"I don't know Light. You tell me."

Matsuda felt his heart shatter as the door slammed. Aizawa put a hand on his shoulder and Yuki stood, leaving the room behind the other female.

"Llana! Llana stop!"

The woman rubbed her violet eyes as she stepped into the elevator, "Stop trying to keep me here Yuki."

"I'm not trying to keep you anywhere." The short woman started, slipping into the closing doors. "You just broke you fiancé's heart."

She wiped at the tears again, "Sorry to hear that."

"Heartless doesn't work well on you."

"I'm sorry. But I'm not changing my mind."

Yuki sighed and stepped off the elevator as it stopped, "I'm not saying you have to. But I know that if Matsuda asked you to stay you would."

Llana opened the door to her and Matsuda's suite, "I would. But he won't ask."

A sad chuckle sounded from the door. Matsuda rubbed the back of his head sadly as Llana and Yuki looked at him, "You know me so well."

Yuki threw one last glance at Llana before leaving the lovers alone. Matsuda sat on the couch, "If you want to leave…you can leave."

Llana sat next to him, "You don't want me to stay?"

"Of course I want you to stay!" He held her hand tightly in his, "But…not if staying is painful for you."

She ran a hand through his short, soft, black hair, "I don't want to leave you. I want you to come with me."

"I can't. I believe in Light."

Llana bit her lip, letting out a strangled cry before lovingly grabbing Matsuda's face in bother her hands, "Idiot."

The two of them soaked in every bit of each other that they could that night. They both knew that if something happened, it would be possible that they would never see each other again.

* * *

**October 29, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Sofitel Luxury Hotel Helipad**

The task for watched solemnly as Llana bags were loaded onto the helicopter and she wrapped her arms around Matsuda's neck. He kissed her head and joined the other's as L stepped forward.

As he did, the helicopter started up and the others couldn't hear what the two of them were saying.

Light extended his hand, "Send my luck to Near. And who knows, maybe you'll be completely wrong about me."

Llana clenched her fist before slapping him hard across the face, "Damn you Kira."

Light glared after the chopper as it took off. Now this was war.


	10. Reborn

**Chapter 9**

**Reborn**

**October 30, 2010; Washington, D.C.; SPK Headquarters**

"Ideal, may I come in?"

The woman looked up from unpacking her clothes, "Of course Near. Come in."

The door opened slowly and the boy carefully made his way inside. He sat on the floor by the woman's bed and watched her silently. Llana stopped unpacking and sighed, looking down at him, "I never thought it would come to me having to leave."

"I don't think anyone did."

She looked down at the ring on her finger and chuckled softly, "I miss him already."

"I found myself wondering if…" the boy started.

"If L approved?" Llana tried. Near nodded, as did she, 'He did. If anything, he commissioned Matsuda for the job."

"He's a good man." Near said, He had done a background check on the cop, and he was indeed a very good person. But he wouldn't tell the woman about the check.

Llana smiled and started her unpacking again, "He is, extremely so. He could never do anything wrong by me."

"I'm glad he didn't stop you from coming." Near said as he pulled on the hem of his white shirt.

The woman sat next to him on the floor, "You need me here more than they do and for reasons beyond this case. Besides, working so close to Kira without being able to point him out is making me sick."

The young genius twirled his white hair between his fingers, "You know who it is?"

"I have the same theory as L if that's what you're asking."

Near continued to play with his hair and Llana smiled, grabbing a silver briefcase she had brought with her and placing it on the floor next to her little brother. "It's all in there."

The boy smiled his quirky little smile that reminded her so much of L, "Shall we begin then?"

"Whenever you're ready."

* * *

"It's all here, every moment of confinement, every recorded conversation, every personal entry."

Near ran his hands over the many disks and papers, as if it was all L's last will and testament. "Have you gone through any of it?"

"Never had the time or the chance, I practically stole it from the Task Force. Light thinks he destroyed it."

"We'll let him think that."

"Near?"

The young boy looked up at the man who entered the room. He had short, wispy black hair and big dark eyes. He seemed very quiet and stern.

"Of course, Gevanni." Near started, "I apologize, it seems as though I have yet to introduce Ideal to you all."

Llana held out her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you…um…"

"Stephen, Miss Ideal, Stephen Gevanni."

The woman smiled sweetly at him as she took back her hand, "Please call me Llana."

Near cleared his throat, "I'll introduce her to the rest of the team later. But for now please alert them of her presence."

"Yes sir."

The boy sighed as he turned back to the stack and piles of papers and tapes, and disks. He looked to the woman next to him from the corner of his eye, "Do you have any data on him?"

"It was all burned under L's instructions."

Near nodded, "I see. No need in keeping record if you were still alive to give the record yourself."

Llana nodded also, "When we finish these they are to be burned also, along with everything that has to do with this case when it's over."

"Understood." The boy pushed the first tape into the player and pressed play.

"_Hello Light. How are you doing today?"_

The image of Light huddled over on the floor of the cell actually still broke Llana's heart, and the sound of L's voice broke it even more. Light looked up at the camera on the wall, _"Tell me Ryuzaki, what's happening?"_

"_Criminals have stopped dying. I haven't been informed of any Kira movement."_

Llana bit her lip, "These videos will be contradicting, and almost everything L said was a lie."

"So the criminals were still dying." Near stated, he fiddled with his hair, "I see."

"_Will you confess today Light?"_

"_I have nothing to confess to."_

"_There is no use in you denying me Light. You are Kira."_

"_I am not! I'm not Kira!"_

A sigh crackled over the speakers in the tape, _"Very well." _And it ended.

Near started to stack the die that were scattered across the desk but stopped when he heard a sniffle, "Llana?"

"I'm fine Near. Just didn't think such a short video would be so hard to watch." She smiled at him through her tears. "Shall we continue?"

"Yes, please."

* * *

**October 31, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Sofitel Luxury Hotel **

"Matsuda!"

_"Daddy, is Uncle Aizawa on his man time again? Mommy says he's on his man time when he yells at you."_

_"Layla! Sweetheart you can't repeat what mommy says!"_ Llana said, panicked, on her end of the line.

Matsuda chuckled, "He might be sweetheart."

_"Ok daddy."_ Children were heard calling for the girl and she giggled happily, _"I have to go now!"_

"Happy Halloween Layla." Matsuda said.

_"We love you Layla."_ The woman said to her daughter.

_"Happy Halloween! Love you too!"_ then the line clicked.

"MATSUDA!"

Llana chuckled, _"Sounds like Aizawa is really angry."_

"Yeah, he's been calling me for the last five minutes, we're going to a church for L's birthday today."

Llana sighed. _"Leave a gift for me."_

"Way ahead of you." The man said, looking down at the rose shaped chocolate. "I miss you."

"_I miss you too. You should call more often. Don't tell me Light banned you from calling me." _The woman said, half playfully.

"He wouldn't do that." There was a moment of silence, "I love you."

_"I love you too Touta. You have no idea."_

"I might."

There was rustling then Llana's giggle, _"I have to go, Near just woke up. Remember Touta, you can't tell anyone where I am."_

"I won't. I promise."

_"Goodbye."_

"Bye."

Aizawa rolled his eyes as he entered the hall, Soichiro, Mogi, Yuki, and Ide behind him, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Light glared at his computer screen once the others had left. He was glaring at the pictures of three individuals he was itching to kill. But the three almost seemed immortal.

"Ideal, Near, and Mello, my new opponents. Hm, seems like you even defy me from the grave L." Light spoke to himself.

It became almost freezing cold in the room and Light paid it no mind, "Even if I beat them, who's to say that there aren't more."

He thought through everything in his head, L's child could even be a threat, even though she was only four. He could kill her, but he wasn't sure if the name he had was real, and Misa would object no matter what.

"Light?"

"What is it Misa?"

"I was just wondering where everybody was." The blond walked deeper into the dimly lit room and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, "If they're truly gone then…"

"It's L's birthday today Misa." He said, brushing her off, surprisingly gentle.

Even though it was the day of his dead enemy's birthday, Light couldn't hide that he had enough feelings to respect the day.

Misa stepped back, "Oh. Light, is Llana really never coming back?"

He glared at her, "Why do you care Misa?"

"I just. Well…she was nice to me. And Yuki…I don't think she likes me very much."

Light stood and turned off the computers, walking past Misa and leaving her in the dark as he turned off the lights, "I don't care." The young man traveled all the way to the top of the building, going out onto the roof and scowling at the bright L.A. sun.

"The sun shines for you on this day L, I'll give you that much." He looked out over the city and shoved his hands in his pockets, "Happy Birthday."


	11. Trapped Rat

**Chapter 10**

**Trapped Rat**

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* * *

  
**

**November 10, 2010; Washington D.C.; SPK Headquarters**

_**November 10, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Mafia Hideout**_

It was eerie. The song she played as she sat and rocked quietly at the piano. Near silently thanked and dismissed Giovanni and continued into the room.

"Moonlight Sonata, Ideal?"

"They're storming his hideout today. They found it."

_ Mello looked around at the dead bodies of the mafia members, "They're here."_

Near sat on the empty space on the piano bench, soaking in the sad sound of the song she was playing, "Thank you Near, for this. I thought I wouldn't get to play again until this was over."

"Of course, whatever you need."

_ Mello eyed the notebook under one of the bodies, shouting to his last two living cronies to keep it safe, he dashed up the stairs._

The melody had ceased all movement on the floor below the geniuses. The rest of the SPK sat in reverent silence, unsure of the occasion for the melancholy song, yet feeling the remorse, regardless.

_ Matsuda looked to his superior, asking if he was ready. Receiving a short nod, they moved into the harsh gunfire._

The young boy watched her elegant fingers. Then looked up at her face, it didn't shock him that her violet eyes were closed. She was talented; looking at the keys was a luxury she didn't need. She simply felt the music, and gave it life.

_ A teargas can was tossed into the room and among the confusion the Task Force was able to continue, steadily closing in on a desperate Mello._

"You could have warned him."

"He needs to learn. All I can hope for now is that they don't kill him. I can't lose anyone else, no matter what kind of decisions they make."

_ Mello ordered Soichiro to come into the room alone, leaving the rest of the team, and even Light, wondering, and waiting. _

The peak of the song sounded ever so more dramatic as she started to cry. Near simply blinked his tears away and she gave a soft chuckle, "You never did like to cry in front of me. Always wanted to show me what a big boy you are."

"This song is supposed to draw and emotion."

"Yes, it is."

_ They stared each other dead in the eye, Mello unaware of the person coming to his aid. Several gunshots sounded and an explosion sucked the air and life from every corner._

The song ended and Llana put a hand on his shoulder, "Come on Near. We have work to do."

* * *

**November 12, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Beverly Wilshire Hotel**

Matsuda put his head in his bandaged hands. Everything was sore and his heart ached. Soichiro Yagami had died, his father figure, his role model, and his friend. And now he didn't have anyone to tell him everything would be fine, he didn't even have the energy to call his fiancé or daughter.

"Touta?"

That soft voice didn't belong to any of the men on this hotel with him, and Misa and Yuki had more pitch. He looked up and Llana smiled at him sadly, "I'm so sorry."

Matsuda almost fell from the bed into her arms and cried into her stomach. She soothingly put her hands through his hair, "It's going to be ok Touta. I promise."

"I don't really have anyone to turn to now."

She grabbed his, face, gently, "You have me." She kissed his lips, "You will always have me."

"Does anyone know you're here?"

"No." she smiled and sat on the ground in front of him, "I came for you."

Matsuda rest his head on her chest and sighed in relief. She studied all the other bandages on his arms and face, "Are you ok? Jesus you look so…"

"Beat up?"

"I'm sorry I wasn't here."

He shook his head and squeezed her waist tighter, afraid that if he let go she would disappear, "You're here now. How long can you stay?"

"As long as you need me too."

Illiana stood and pulled him to his feet, sitting him in a chair in the living room like portion of his room. "Is your neck ok?"

"Yes. They just wanted to keep it on. It hurts."

The woman giggled as he whined like a child. It was cute. She relieved him of the medical collar and rubbed between his shoulders at the base of his neck. He moaned and they both blushed.

"Sorry. I-it feels nice." He mumbled.

Llana could see the red on his ears from where she was standing; she could imagine the pink in his cheeks too. She rubbed lower, ignoring his apology and smirking as his breath came more rapid.

He yelped as her hands came close to his bottom and her forehead dropped on his shoulder. She giggled, "Sorry. I couldn't help myself."

Touta shivered as her breath hit his ear. It took everything in him to keep from moaning again. Her hands traveled back up and over his shoulder, he grabbed her hand to stop her and stood from the chair. "Illiana?"

The woman smiled as he turned to face her, hooking her hands around his neck, "I think I know that tone."

* * *

Llana awoke to the sun beaming on her face and bare body. She rolled over and pouted at the absence of the man she loved. A paper on the pillow caught her attention, _"Sorry for leaving you alone. Light likes to start bright and early. You probably have to go back today, you're free to. I love you." ~Touta._

Downstairs Matsuda peeked at his phone and read the text message he had just received, _"Be careful, and I love you too." ~Llana_

The female genius dressed quickly and slipped sunglasses on her face as she entered the lobby.

"Llana pick up." Yuki glared at her phone as it continued to ring.

She looked over at the short woman and let her own phone ring, catching the woman's attention. Yuki looked over at her, "Llana?"

Llana nodded and gave the woman a quick hug before silencing her with a finger to her own lips and hailing a taxi.

Yuki smirked as she turned back to the building, "Well, at least Matsuda's gonna be happy today."

* * *

**November 15, 2010; Washington D.C.; SPK Headquarters**

Near sighed as he waited for "L" to answer the call he was putting through. He looked over at Llana and she nodded before smiling sweetly, "Stick it to em' Near."

_"N?"_

"So you fail in your mission, yet you regain the notebook and use it illegally. Or did Kira decide that he liked the Task Force?" Near said smugly into his headset.

_"Don't question my action's Near."_

"Don't use my name."

There was a silence as Near played with his hair. Light sighed, _"Was there something that you specifically need?"_

"Just a question. Mello escaped but his notebook was recovered correct?"

"Correct."

Near smiled, "That is all. Asking any further questions is useless."

Llana slipped off her own headset as Near swiveled his chair to her. She sighed, "He's behaving like a trapped rat."

"It only raises suspicion." The young genius said calmly.

Halle looked over at Llana, she actually knew the woman from working as a Secret Service, and so she was pleasantly surprised to not only have a female to talk to, but to have it be Llana.

"So you're saying that this kid playing L could be Kira?"

"As far as I'm concerned, he is Kira. But I can't call him out, none of us can just yet, he'll trap us. Just like he did L." the other woman stood from her seat and glanced at her watch. "Near, it's late, you need to sleep."

Giovanni chuckled at how the woman treated the child like…a child.

Near glared at her, but she knew it was playful, "I have no time for sleep. I must work."

She smiled, "You sound like L. But when I say sleep, you sleep."


	12. Misunderstanding

**Chapter 11**

**Misunderstanding**

**

* * *

**

**November 20, 2010; Washington D.C.; SPK Headquarters**

"Is everyone here? Once I start I'm not stopping or repeating."

Llana surveyed the adults in the large metal room then glanced down at Near who was lying on his stomach playing with two play airplanes.

"Alright, Near has asked me to do a rundown of this case from the beginning to the present."

Giovanni put a hand in his pocket, "How accurate will this be?"

Near answered for her, "I trust Ideal to make this as accurate as possible. She was present for most of it so she knows first hand."

The woman nodded her head in thanks and crossed her legs. "This is just a rundown to bring everyone up to speed. I don't believe on dwelling on the past." She instinctively reached up for her locket.

"That is fine Ideal. They just need to know. And it adds to what I have to say."

"Alright, fast and simple, Kira starts killing criminals, L takes on the case and makes a task force using officers from the Japanese Police. America sends a dozen FBI agents to tail several suspects; they all die by the hands of Kira. During the siege of Sakura TV Station, Kira kills innocents and L decides that it was not Kira, but a second one."

"There was more than one?" Giovanni interrupted.

"Yes. Now, the second Kira was given a positive I.D. and taken into custody for questioning along with the person believed to be the original Kira. All killing stopped for three months then suddenly it picked back up."

"A third?"

The woman raised her brows at the man; Giovanni blushed and looked away, "It wasn't exactly a third, more like a substitute. I personally flipped his car along with my own. He survived the accident but was killed by Kira who had seemingly rose from the dead."

Halle rose her hand, "Did L release the people he believed to be the Kiras?"

"Yes, he did." She sighed, "Moving on. Kira settled back into his killing nest and…." The woman rubbed her temples, willing herself to continue and accept it, "…and L was killed."

This time it wasn't Giovanni to interrupt her, "Are you telling me the person we've been talking to isn't L?" Rester almost growled.

The woman had forgotten that they weren't around when Near called Light out, "It's L. Just not the L you think."

Near picked up and action figure dressed in a police uniform and a figure of the grim reaper, "Here is where my point comes in. Kira is working with the police. Or even worse, Kira is the police." He said as he took the badge from the cop doll and gave it to the death doll.

"How can you be absolutely sure!"

Llana stood from her chair, "The person taken in as the original Kira, is the same person L kept on the task force, and the same person who eventually took L's place."

"And killed him!"

"We can't say that for sure. If this person is Kira, he's hiding it very well."

Near sat up on his knees, "It's my goal to uncover him, humiliate him, and eventually break him." The child snapped the head off the death doll.

Llana put her hand on her hip, "As you all know, right now Kira is all over. He appears then disappears, almost like a ghost. That, and due to an un-certified raid, the Japanese task force as managed to tail the one person who has Kira's weapon in his grasp."

Near picked up a small model of a foreboding black notebook, "The Death Note."

* * *

**November 21, 2010**

_ "We the people of the United States of America hereby acknowledge Kira and will not go against him. WE will put the country's technology advancement meeting on hold and we will stop all organizations going after Kira in this country."_

Llana stared at the TV in disbelief, "You have got to be kidding me."

Halle continued to stare at the Television also, although it was now muted, "Wonder what will happen to us."

Near stood and fiddled with his hair, "We will be removed. All thanks to that chicken-shit president."

Llana smirked, "Language Near."

The boy tugged at his hair and stared at the ceiling, "I refuse to stop. I refuse to give up. I believe the president has misunderstood my drive. Kira has ripped apart my family and ripped apart this world! I will stop him!"

The woman had never heard such passion in the boy's voice. It was normally so soft now he spoke like the genius teen he was. She sat down to calm herself, "I agree. Kira is evil and running around killing people, including a few who were very close to me. I'm not stopping."

Halle looked at Giovanni and Rester who both nodded, "Neither are we."

* * *

**November 22, 2010; Los Angles, California; Task Force**

Matsuda stared at his bandaged hand while the rest of the team had their faces buried in papers and computer screens. The young man stood abruptly, bringing attention to himself, "Can I speak seriously for a moment?"

Ide raised his brows, "When did this happen?"

"Aren't you always not serious?" Aizawa asked. Yuki slapped his shoulder at the rude question.

The young man ignored their comments, "Do you all truly believe that Kira is evil?"

"What?"

"Of course he's evil."

"No Matsuda. I don't think he's completely evil."

Everyone looked at Yuki and as looked back as if they were nothing. "I mean really. Stop being such men. You guys aren't looking past the killing part of Kira's motive."

"His motive?" Ide questioned, "He's killing people."

"Innocent people?" the woman asked.

"Well…no."

Matsuda wrung his hands, "That's what I mean. Yes he's killing people, but I feel like he's trying to be good, not evil. I mean, I really don't know what he is, I just want to catch him. But, he's made everything better-!"

"You're wrong Matsuda." Aizawa cut him off, "Even if public peace and order get better, a massacre will always cause fear and there will never be real peace."

"I know! I know that! But I understand, from a weak persons point of view, because I am weak. I understand how Kira is the messiah too."

"You're not weak Matsuda." Yuki spoke quietly and calmly despite all the males yelling in the room. She glanced over her shoulder at Light who was quietly looking out the window. "Matsuda, do you really think that Llana is the type of woman who would spend the rest of her life with a weak man?"

"No but-"

"But what? She made an exception for you? No, you are strong and brave, that's why she loves you."

The room was quite for a moment and Matsuda sat on the couch and looked at his hands, "I guess that was stupid huh?"

"No, it wasn't." Light almost whispered. "It's true. The world is thinking the same thing. They know Kira is wrong, but he's made so much good."

Aizawa and the rest of the men sat down, "What are you saying?"

"Well, let me put it like this. If we catch Kira, he's evil. If Kira controls the world, he's righteous."

* * *

**November 22, 2010; Winchester, London; Whammy's House**

"Uncle Matty?"

The redhead looked over at the small girl in his doorway, her looks reminded him so much of his 'brother' it was scary. "What is it Layla?"

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes."

Layla's eyes watered and she started to sniff, "But…but…"

Matt picked the small girl up; being careful and mindful of the cigarette between his lips, "Don't cry Layla."

She huffed and pulled the cancer stick from his lips, dropping it on the ground, "You can't leave me!"

"But I'm going to help your mom find Kira."

The girl crossed her arm, "Mommy would have told me."

"That's because I'm not helping her directly."

Layla squished his face between her hands, "Be careful."

"Promise you wont tell?"

She held her hand up like a girl scout, "Promise. Can I have your Game Boy?"

Matt reached into his pocket and handed the girl the blue, Game Boy Color, "Keep it safe."

"I will. Hey, Uncle Matty."

"What?"

"Good Luck."


	13. Rain Watching

**Chapter 12**

**Rain Watching**

** A/N: It's been a long time and I am so sorry for that. I've been caught up in graduation and getting a job so time to write just wasn't available. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter. (I know I didn't)**

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* * *

**

**November 24, 2010; Washington D.C.; SPK Headquarters**

It was almost like a scene from an old movie. Llana sat looking out the window, a solemn look on her face as the rain beat the glass, the glow from the setting sun bouncing off her white nightgown. Near sat on the floor, tinkering with his toys in silence.

Occasionally he would look at her, and she at him, but neither would catch each other.

It went on like that for another half hour, the rain falling outside…until Near knocked over his tower of blocks and Llana cleared her throat, "How long will this go on Near?"

"Until we stop Kira…of course."

She smiled dazedly, still watching the rain, "Can we? Will we ever really stop him?"

Near turned to watch her, noticing the sad smile on her face, "Ideal, where is this coming from?"

Llana looked at him, standing from her seat by the window and moving to his side, "Six years is a very long time Near. I feel like I've wasted my life on this case."

"It sounds to me like you have no faith."

She chuckled, "Maybe I don't."

"This is extremely worrisome Ideal. The way you feel."

She smiled again, "Of course it is. My brain is mush and my heart has been squeezed dry. I've lost the father of my child and had to send that child away. I've been separated from the love of my life and now I have to watch you and Mello put your lives on the line."

Near's eyes became sad and he placed his toys back onto the floor. What she just described was nothing compared to what she really went through because of this case. She almost died on several occasions and the young genius was surprised that the amount of stress didn't have her bedridden.

"Ideal. You can stop. You can go home to London and stay with Layla, and you can take Mr. Matsuda with you. You don't have to stay here."

Llana returned to her seat, "Oh, but I do. I owe it to L to keep working, and we both know that Touta won't leave. Right know, finishing this case is a need. And yet…I feel like I simply can't." she giggled to herself, "Since when did I become so contradictory?"

The boy didn't answer the question, instead he continued to tinker with his toys, as the woman returned to watching the rain.

* * *

**November 24, 2010; Whinchester, London; Wammy's House**

"Layla! C'mon and play with us!"

Layla looked up from the screen of the video game in her hands, "Maybe later."

One of the little girls in the group rolled her eyes, "C'mon guys. She's like Near with that game in her hands. Let's go."

Layla looked down at the paused game in her hands. Ever since her uncle had left, she never stopped playing. Rodger had to pry it from her hands to get her to sleep, and she never played with anyone else. If anyone asked, she didn't say why, and when her parents asked, she told them she had plenty of friends.

Jazz meowed loudly and crawled into her lap. She sighed and pet him, she remembered telling her mother about Matt. Sometimes Llana forgets that her daughter is a genius, and trying to hide emotions in her voice would never work.

She was afraid, and worried. What she also didn't know is that Layla was very aware of her parents being separated. She had checked the phone calls after there last conversation.

Layla looked up at the phone a foot away from her as it rang. It was wired, it only rang for her mom, her dad, Near, and Matt's cell. Yes she had been talking to Near. But it was their little secret.

"Hello?"

_ "Hi baby. What are you up to?"_

The little girl smiled, "I was playing."

_"R-really?"_ Llana's voice wavered. More than anything, she wanted her daughter to be fun and lively like she had been before the case started back up…but now she was becoming like her father, her birth father.

"Yes mommy." Layla looked down at the game in her lap.

_ "Sweetheart, please, go out and play. I know your worried but everyone is fine."_

"Can I talk to daddy?"

_ "Um…I'm not with daddy right now. He'll call you later ok?"_

The little girl rubbed her eyes, "Ok mommy,"

_ "I love you Layla."_

"Love you too mommy."

Layla hung up the phone and looked back at the game in her hands. Placed it on the floor next to her and looked out the window. It was raining, like usual. She stared at the water hitting the glass until the phone rang again, "Hello?"

_ "Hey sweetheart!"_

She smiled, "Hi daddy!"

* * *

**November 26, 2010; SPK Headquarters; 3 a.m.**

Llana abruptly stopped typing to place her hand on the side of her head. Her splitting headache was making it hard to pay attention, and even the dull light from the computer screen made her dizzy.

Giovanni, the only other person in the room stopped typing also and looked over his shoulder at her. "Miss Llana, you've been up all night. You should get some sleep."

"It's Llana, and I'm fine."

The man watched her for a moment more as she struggled to keep working then turned back to his computer. He had been keeping silent tabs on the woman, she wasn't eating regularly, barely sleeping, and she was often sitting and staring at nothing.

"Giovanni. Please take her to her room."

Llana smiled at Near, standing from her chair, "Good morning Near." She put her fingers gently through his curly hair, "I don't need to go to my room. I'm fine."

Rester noticed the haze over her violet eyes and the dull color of her usually caramel skin. The woman noticed his gaze and smiled at him before turning around to return to her seat. She stopped and swayed for a second and Giovanni was there to catch her before she hit the ground.

Near sighed loudly as he sat in the center of a massive train set. He pulled at a curl and looked up at the younger of the two adult males, waiting for an explanation. Giovanni adjusted his grip on the woman, "She hasn't been eating regularly, and she hasn't slept."

"How long?"

"The eating for almost a week and she hasn't slept in two days."

The young genius didn't need this right now. There was already too much he had to handle, and Llana was being more of a burden than an asset.

"Now you may take her to her room."

Giovanni looked down into her face, "Stay with her?"

"No. Just leave her be." He looked around the room, "Where is Lidner?"

Rester took stance in his usual spot by the computers, "I woke her on the way to you. She should be down shortly."

* * *

The hum of the shower water drowned out every other sound in the area. But that was the way Halle Lidner liked it. She turned her face towards the hot stream of water and sighed as it relaxed her.

She continued to shower still, even as she heard the door to her bathroom open, "If you're gonna kill me, do it now."

"I'm not gonna kill you. I want answers."

Halle wrapped herself in a towel, climbed out of her shower stall, and eyed the young man before her. Her was blond and possibly no older than twenty. He was clad in black leather pants and jacket with fur around the hood which was up over his head, "Can I help you?" she asked.

Mello stuck a gun in her face, "Don't play dumb."

The woman scowled at him, "You had questions, I'm listening."

Mello went on and asked about everything the SPK knew, and Halle told him everything she herself knew, for most of the important things were only known by Near and Llana, but she figured that if this guy was who Near said he was, he knew all that stuff anyway.

She ground her teeth as she was held at gunpoint while she dressed, then marched down to the main room where Near calmly took in the situation.

As for Rester and Giovanni, guns were drawn and they wanted to shoot it out.

Near sighed, "Shooting each other here will do nothing for you." He glanced at the blond, "Hello Mello."

Mello smirked, "Seems like you have everything under control, huh Near?"

The albino child looked at the agents, who still had their guns raised, "I said lower your guns."

A dull heel clicking made everyone stop moving and Mello looked over his shoulder, "…Ideal…"

Llana smiled sadly at him, her slightly cold hand touched his and she gently lowered his arm, "They only want to shoot because there is a gun pointed at them."

Mello put his gun away, as did the two other men. She put a hand on Halle's shoulder and the other female walked to stand by Rester who gave her a quick glance to ensure that she was ok.

Llana moved to stand in front of Mello and took off his hood, "You did this to yourself." She said, referring to the burn on his face.

"I'm not here for your sympathy."

"Then what do you want?"

Near played with his hair, "He wants to hear me congratulate him possibly. But really, everything that has gone good for us is because of his stupid actions."

"Near shut up!"

Guns were drawn again and Near sighed, "Mello, if you really want to shoot me then go ahead. But I must warn you, Ideal is sick and all this excitement cant be making things any better."

Llana bit her lip, "Near don't do that. Don't use my weakness against him like that."

Mello put his gun away anyway and lowered his voice, "I didn't come for this anyway, I came for that photograph of me."

Near handed the picture to Rester who handed it to Mello, "It was the only one, no copies have been made and the only other picture of you is the one Ideal has."

Llana covered the locket with her hand. Listening to them like this, they would possibly never see each other again and they were still so hostile. She felt stupid, letting all this get to her. She was being, weak and useless, a hindrance. But her feelings were flooding from every direction and she couldn't make them stop.

Mello eyed her blank look and pocketed the picture, "I trust her. And by the way, I'll do you a favor." Near perked up, listening, "The notebook is owned by a god of death, they're real, I've seen one."

"Is that so?"

"He's right." Llana spoke up, "I've seen one too."

"Alright. Anything else Mello?"

The blond turned to leave, "Also, some of the rules inside are fake. That's all."

Llana watched as he left the room and waited until the sound of his feet were extremely faint. She started at a walk after him then ran until she caught up, "Mello!"

He looked back at her and stepped closer, "What?"

"Is Matt with you?"

"Yeah."

Relief washed over her and she looked at the young man who she still saw as a little boy, her little brother, "I love you. Don't do anything that will take you from me ok?"

He nodded and wrapped her in a brief hug, he mumbled an, 'I love you too' into her hair and walked away. Watching him walk away was hard, because something told her, that she really would never see him again.


	14. Reasons

**Chapter 13**

**Reasons**

**A/N:** Hey everybody! Just wanna apologize for the wait and let you know that Demegowa's attack on the SPK will be cut from this story. You know, the part with the raining money? Yeah that. Well, hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**April 1980; Mercy Hospital, Nursery Wing **

Cold and white, most people would think heaven was a warm place. But this wasn't heaven…it was a type of hell. It was where people were born, only to be released into the unrelenting arena that is life.

It was also where people were sent to die once they were through with the fighting.

It was a Shinigami haven on earth.

The screeching cries of children echoed and it was deafening, most of them screamed just because, but one was silent.

The Shinigami was female, white all over like the room she was in with a sad look upon her face. White, braid like, pieces of hair hung loosely from her head and the baby in the crib followed their swaying with her dark eyes.

"You can see me, can't you little one?" her voice was like a hollow whisper. The baby gurgled and reached for her.

"I took something from you I can't give back." she stretched her skeletal hand over the baby, "But I can give you this. Maybe someday you'll have use for it."

As she pulled away, the small baby girl started to cry, her eyes burned her and they faded as she fought the change; all of her pain went unnoticed. Outside a couple conversed with a doctor, "That one, the girl with the bright eyes."

The doctor smiled, "I'll arrange that for you. What would you like her name to be? We can finish the birth certificate."

The man smiled down at his wife and she smiled back, "Illiana. Illiana Blackwell."

* * *

**November 27, 2010; SPK Headquarters, Noon**

"All of you look so nervous."

Halle sighed as she looked at the other female, "He's been in there all morning and hasn't said a word." She stood and started to pace, "What if he can't find the fake rule?"

Llana gently squeezed the stuffed panda in her hands before placing it in her lap and laying her hands over it. She looked up at Halle, "Would you rather him find it quickly and be wrong? Cuz then we would all be screwed, or at least more then we already are now."

Rester moved uncomfortably in his seat, "What do rules have to do with this anyway?"

Giovanni crossed his legs and slouched farther into his seat, "Hell if I know."

Llana started to stroke the soft animal; "It could possibly expose a liar and bring us closer to the end of this ridiculous case." She sighed, "But who am I to say? Near doesn't even want my help anymore."

The other adults in the room looked at each other before looking back to the violet-eyed woman. Llana smiled and didn't say a word, instead she hugged the panda close and left the room.

Halle bit her lip, "Does anyone else feel like she's hiding something?"

Giovanni nodded, "Yeah. But I don't think it's anything bad."

"You keep thinking that."

The man ran a hand through his wispy hair, "Maybe I will. Halle you act like you never knew her… I trust her, is that wrong?"

The blond shook her head, "No. But it's obvious that she's falling apart. And Near will have you killed if he finds out that it's not just trust."

"And who says it's more?"

Rester stood between the two as they had now risen from their chairs, "Cut it out. You're acting like children."

_ "All of you may enter now. I'm ready to discuss my findings." _Near's voice floated through the speakers and filled the small room.

When the other SPK member's arrived in their usual computer ridden room, Llana was already in her seat, thumbing through a thin book. Near looked up at them, "Hello. Finding the rule was simpler than I thought."

Halle crossed her legs as she fell into her seat, "Which one was fake?"

Near slightly ignored her question to make sound effects for his robots then rest them on the floor, "If not writing in the book for thirteen day's could kill you…Kira would have been dead."

Illiana turned to her computer and sighed deeply. "Should I be connecting you to L. I feel like you need to rub it in his face."

The young genius smiled like the child he was, simply thrilled with the idea, "Of course."

* * *

**November 27, 2010; Task Force; 1:30 p.m.**

Light discreetly clenched his fists and glared at the computer that seemed to be laughing in his face. He was disgusted when he realized that it was. Near's chuckle wafted into the room, _"So L, are you going to answer my question? Which rule do you think is fake."_

The 'second L' sighed heavily, "By process of elimination the obvious choice would be the one stating that the user will die if they don't write a name in thirteen days."

_"I thought you might say so. I reached the same conclusion." _

Light retreated to his thoughts, 'I? He's didn't say we, seems like Ideal isn't being much of a help anymore. Anyway… I can't let him get away with this; I know where he's trying to catch me. I won't let it happen.'

The young man moved his eyes over his shoulder to Ryuk, mentally glad that now everyone could see him and knew about him, "Shinigami, you know the most about the notebook and it's rules. Are any of them false?"

Ryuk was laughing on the inside but managed to keep a straight face, "No, they are all real."

_ "…I see. You have a Shinigami there with you?"_

"Yes." Light answered simply. Everything went quirt and all he could hear was the breathing of the men and single woman in the room with him. It stayed that way until Near spoke again.

_ "I see. I've come to a conclusion. Kira is in the room and he's making the Shinigami lie on his behalf."_

Light managed to keep his body and breathe still though Near's comment came as a shock. How was it that the child was keeping up with his like this, 'Damn you Near.' He thought, 'I _need_ you dead!'

Yuki narrowed her eyes at Light's back, "So Light, that means your confinement was meaningless?"

She said it as a question but Light knew it was a statement. He looked at her over his shoulder quickly and said nothing. Matsuda moved to sit on the edge of the couch, "But wait! That doesn't mean he's guilty… he simply could have been innocent then the thirteen days wouldn't matter! Besides, the deputy director confirmed it himself."

_ "If there's a problem I suggest we verify the rule."_

"How."

_ "I write down Mello's real name in the notebook, he dies and is out of the way. If I die thirteen days later, then the rule is true…and Kira wins. Testing the rule will only aid this investigation."_

Light looked off the side in thought, 'I can't let him do that. Mello will die and he won't and I'll look even more suspicious.' He growled in his own mind, 'And if I tell him no on my own, it'll have the same effect.' Damn you Near.'

The young man turned to the older men in the room, "Ok, what are your thoughts? I would go ahead and speak but…I'm the one under suspicion."

Matsuda sunk lower in his seat, "It's a tough call. Mello killed the deputy director." He looked at his feet, 'But then again, he's close to Llana, Near to. It would…kill her.' He thought.

Ide shook his head, "I'm against it, I say no."

Aizawa nodded his head in agreement, "I agree. We can't take that kind of risk."

Yuki sighed and folded her arms, "I guess I disagree too."

Mogi simply folded his arms and nodded also. Light turned back to the computer and pressed the button for the mic, "We talked it over Near, we can't allow you to use the notebook like that."

_ "No matter. But I do have a proposition for the members of the Japanese task force. I am about to give you a number that will connect you directly to me. Feel free to call it and tell me anything you like. No matter the time, I will answer. The choice is up to you. Have a good evening gentlemen."_

_

* * *

_

**Still November 27, SPK**

"I wonder who will call."

Llana removed her earpiece and sat back in her chair, putting her hand thought her hair, "Aizawa."

Near had profiles printed of everyone on the task force, he had been looking at the profile of Yuki, only having just finished Matsuda's even though he has his memorized. He picked up Aizawa's, "He doesn't seem the type to betray so easily."

"Betray? Aizawa doesn't know what to believe, he watched his best friend die, I'd be a little lost too." Llana said, picking up the habit of not looking at whom she was talking too.

The snow child tugged a curl. Llana knew too well, she _was_ lost, she watched L die, she understood.

She pushed back from her area of desk and stood. She absently stroked one of Near's curls and walked out of the room, "I'm turning in." she said as she left.

Near motioned for Giovanni to help him stand. He moved without a word to the elevator where he dismissed the man and continued on his own. He had almost expected to hear the piano, but instead he heard the moving of drawers and slamming of the closet doors.

"Ideal?"

She didn't even look at him, she only continued to throw clothes in her bags, "I can't stay here."

The boy took into account how she was acting. Llana was a neat person, she didn't just throw clothes and things around, she only did so when she was upset. She dropped something and cursed lightly as she picked it up.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Japan. I'll stay at Matsuda's apartment and go back to teaching at To-Oh." She sighed and stopped packing, placing her hands flat on the bed, "I've always been there, standing in the background and trying to do the impossible. I can't keep doing this after I lost so much." She shook her head, "No _human_ can keep working when they're so broken." She started packing again, "I just can't do it."

Near nodded, "I understand."

"I'm sorry. I know you don't need me, otherwise I wouldn't be leaving."

The boy played with his hair, "If this is what you want I won't stop you. I can only hope this makes everything better."

Llana looked over her shoulder at him, biting her lip at the shades of gray that blanketed her 'brother' and everything else. "I hope so too."


	15. Hold Me Now

**Chapter 14**

**Hold Me Now**

**A/N: **This chapter is short, just letting you know. I wanted to cut it at a certain place.

* * *

"Layla is sleeping."

Llana didn't turn to look at Matsuda; instead she looked out the window of his roomy apartment living room. She sighed contently as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her shoulder.

He stayed silent, knowing she had something to say. "Touta, am I a quitter?"

Matsuda held her tighter and shook his head, "No. And trust me when I say I know best."

She turned in his grip and nuzzled his neck, cuddling her arms to her chest and breathing in his cologne, "But I just up and left. I gave up…L would be…"

Llana stopped almost as soon as she started that comment; she was trying to make an effort of not talking about L in front of Matsuda. He kissed her nose and looked at the city out the window, "I think L would know that you're only human. He would know that it was just too hard and too painful."

She nodded and moved her arms behind his back, looking at the ring on her finger, "I missed you. I wanted you to hold me so bad."

Matsuda blushed and rubbed her lower back with his thumb, "I missed you too."

They stood in silence for a while, simply holding each other and swaying lightly.

"When is Light making you go back?" Llana broke the silence with her curiosity.

"Later tomorrow. I'll be here when you wake up."

Matsuda watched her with his big brown eyes as she closed her eyes and continued to sway. He figured she was listening to a song in her head and smiled when she started to hum as if on cue. He scanned his eyes over her face and gently touched her cheek with his fingertips. "How did I get you?"

She laughed slightly, eyes stilled closed, "The events themselves don't matter. I love you and I'm happy." Llana finally opened her eyes and looked up at him.

He smiled brightly and kissed her, pulling away only to speak softly against her lips, "I love you too." She smiled and ran her hands up his back. He sighed and lent closer to her, blushing, "And I'll never be happier."

* * *

Normalcy was weird yet highly underrated. After the things Llana had seen and done, teaching college kids was the perfect pace for her. It was odd though, not having an earpiece in for every hour of the day, running around with files and clicking on computers, and of course fearing for her life.

Llana sighed in content as the young adults filed into the small lecture hall. A few who recognized her sat in the front row. Asking how her long vacation had been, fawning over her adorably smart daughter and other things.

"Miss Lina! Is that a ring on your finger?" Mika, her very excitable and most attentive student shot up from her seat, catching the attention of all her other classmates.

Llana blushed, "Yes it is."

Mika caught the hint and sat back in her seat, "Can we start calling you Professor Matsuda then?"

Llana turned away from her students and clicked a button, bringing down a big screen so she could start teaching, "I think we should get started."

"Whatever you say professor M."

* * *

Aizawa was torn. What should he do, and should he do what he was planning to in the first place?

Yuki looked up from the book she was reading, she felt Aizawa staring at her but when she looked up he was staring through her, "Hey, are you alright?"

The man finally focused his gaze on the black haired woman. "I'm fine."

She smirked, "What is with Japanese men being horrible liars."

Aizawa chuckled and glanced around the room, the only other person there was Mogi, and he was still trying to wake up. "I was just thinking."

"About?"

"What Near said. He said that Kira could be among us. And I think I know who it is, but, I feel horrible because I want to be right."

She put her book down and rubbed her blue eyes, "Llana told me everything. And after listening to her, I think it's Light. But I can be discarded pretty easily around here so…"

He shook his head, "No, we need you. Losing Llana was a bigger blow than we are willing to except."

Yuki nodded, "If you want to contact Near, contact him. I really don't think It'll do much harm. If anything, it'll relieve some of the absolute boredom in this place."

Aizawa was a bit shocked, "You're bored?"

She shrugged and smirked, "What can I say? I have a thing for chaos."

The adults laughed and Matsuda came into the room, plastic bags in hand, "Good morning everyone. Sorry I'm late, Llana let me sleep in."

Yuki gave him a suggestive look, "Sure she did."

"Yuki!"

The woman grabbed one of the bags of food and began to split it between her and Aizawa. "So did you guys hear that Kira's Kingdom is having a marathon today?" Matsuda asked as he nudged Mogi and handed him a bag.

Yuki rolled her eyes, "Who would want to…" she trailed off as she looked at Matsuda, "I forgot. You would."

Light walked into the room, Ide following behind him, "Matsuda turn on the television."

Instantly the room was filled with the obnoxious noise of Kira's Kingdom. Of all people and ways to get out his message, Kira chose this fat fool. Speaking of fat fools the man seemed to have more of them lined up. Going on and on about things that Kira probably didn't really want, 'donations' and things like that.

Then without warning, as he started to announce the names of those who would aid him in "spreading Kira's message"…they started to drop like flies, until the channel effectively cut off.

"Did that just happen?"

Light stared at the TV with a blank expression on his features. Of course he didn't do it, and Misa, she didn't have a notebook anymore, or even memories for that matter.

_"Misa I want you to give up ownership to the death note."_

_ "But Light! How will I help you?"_

_ "You don't need to help me Misa. You need to be a normal woman."_

_ "Oh Light…"_

_ He handed her a slip of paper. "Send it to this address and write a letter saying this."_

_ The young woman hugged her arms to her chest, "Anything for you Light."_

He then smiled, to himself of course, 'I knew it was wise to choose him.'

* * *

He closed the notebook, and backed away from his desk, straightening his clothes and pushing his glasses up on his nose and moving his dark eyes to the creature next to him.

"Thank you for brining me this gift Shinigami. I will do God's will and become his most devoted follower."

Ryuk smirked; human's just kept getting more and more interesting.


	16. Chance and Fate

**Chapter 15**

**Chance and Fate**

People say that the average person can be good when needed, but can be evil when the chance presents itself. Mikami had always believed that people were supposed to be good and evil people weren't evil by chance, they were evil by fate. And fate would write them a horrible end.

As a child, any adult Teru came into contact with would say he had a strong sense of justice. That he had the capacity to distinguish right from wrong at an early age. This was true, and this would make him great…and lonely.

Elementary school was slightly easy. Stepping between the bullies and the innocents was simple. Sometimes Teru was caught in the middle, but it always ended quickly, and the thanks made him better. Middle school was a different story. The innocents became the bullies and the torture was much worse, it almost broke him…almost.

Even the death of his mother had an impact but it was more of relief and happiness as he realized that she was no more on his side than any of the people who bullied him.

When he became of age, when he became one of the adults who could never see how he felt as a child, he still managed to hold onto his sense of justice. As a prosecutor he continued to judge the wrong people do and send away evil to where they could do no harm, but even still, he felt they had to be eliminated.

When Kira started to answer his prayers, he prayed for his "god's" attention. When he received it, he knew what to do, he knew very well.

* * *

"Mommy! Look at my picture! It's daddy."

Llana laughed as she looked at the stick man in a blue suit. He was standing on another stick man with the label 'kira' on him. "This is good sweetie."

Layla blushed as her mother put the picture on the fridge, "Daddy's gonna stop Kira right? Daddy and uncle Mogi and Aizawa right?"

"Of course. Don't forget uncle Ide and Aunt Yuki. They're helping too."

The girl nodded her head affirmatively, "Right. Mommy, what about Mr. Light?"

Llana clenched her fists behind her back, "Light is well…he's young baby."

"But he's pretty though. Pretty people are good right?"

The woman laughed at her daughter's logic, "Some pretty people are good Layla. Only some." She pat the spot next to her on the couch, "What do you want to watch?"

"The news!"

Llana rolled her eyes, 'She's as bad as her father was.'

_"Good evening. This is Kiyomi Takada from news six. Starting today, it will be my job to be the new voice of Kira."_

Kiyomi wasn't a new face to Llana, she remembered the girl from Light's not so distant past and wasn't shocked when she first saw the woman as a news anchor woman. But seeing her as the spokesperson for Kira sent off major alarms.

"Baby, bring mommy the phone."

What's wrong?"

"I need to see what time daddy is coming home."

Layla didn't look like she bought it so Llana smiled, "Well honey, we still need a tree for Christmas don't we?"

* * *

"I am going to wring Llana's neck when I see her again. Leaving me alone with these ungrateful men."

Yuki wouldn't lie and say that at first job swapping with Llana sounded extremely appealing. Instead of sitting in the Whitehouse bored out of her mind she could be in the middle of the action.

But what she hadn't thought all the way through was that she would also be in the middle of a group full of testosterone pumping men. Including Aizawa and Matsuda, despite how attached they were.

Normally it was Matsuda's job to get the food, breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner when they ran late, which was often. But now they were setting up for Light's "meeting" with Takada so she had to do it. The last time she checked she was the one who was tech savvy.

She kept her eyes on the ground as she trudged back to the office in the snow, her black hair stuck to her face and her blue orbs glared at the cement. So of course she didn't see the person who slammed into her at top speed, knocking her and everyone's food to the wet ground. "What the hell? Get back here! Ugh!"

"Can I help you with that?"

Mikami had seen the whole thing, the woman whom he thought was a high school girl get knocked to the ground. Only when he moved to help did he notice that it was just a petite woman with a very feisty attitude.

She took his hand and pulled herself up, "Thank you."

Mikami tucked his glasses into his breast pocket and knelt down to help her pick up the ruined food. It was then that she noticed him. His face and build and voice.

Mikami turned to look at her, "Are you alright?"

Yuki blushed, "I'm fine…and apparently so are you."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud."

The woman muttered in embarrassment and threw away what she had picked up. Mikami did the same and put his glasses back on, "I can walk you back to where you were. I'll pay for the wasted food."

"You don't have to do that!" she moved her wet bangs from her face, "It wasn't your fault."

"I just want to help."

Her smile in turn made him blush and he fought to keep his stoic expression, "Thanks."

* * *

Layla loved when her mother took a nap. It meant she had at least and hour to talk on the phone to some of her favorite people. Her daddy, and her uncle Near. Except this time Near called her first, "Hello?"

_ "Layla, where is your mother?"_

She huffed, "Mommy is sleeping. I thought I was supposed to be quiet about talking to you. Mommy will worry right?"

_ "Of course she will. But I need to speak with her. Just pretend you don't know who it is."_

"Ok uncle Near. But now you owe me a phone call."

If there was one thing Layla wished and it was that she would grow up to look like her mother. Even in her sleep the woman was beautiful. Her hair, which was not quite back to its usual length, was still neatly laid on the pillows and her face betrayed a soft expression.

Layla reached out and shook her, "Mommy?"

It took Llana a moment to open her eyes, "What's going on Layla?"

"Someone's on the phone for you."

"Thank you." She put the phone to her ear, "Hello?"

_ "Llana, it's Near."_

"Layla go to your room."

"What did I do?"

She got up from the bed and ushered the girl out, "Nothing. This is just a private conversation." She closed the door behind the child, "Why are you calling me?"

_ "I'm in Japan right now. I made the decision to come yesterday."_

"Why are you telling me this? I told you I was done, I'm no longer involved."

_ "I simply thought you would like to know my whereabouts…just in case."_

"In case of what Near?"

_ "In case you get pulled back in."_

"I won't. Everyone understands my reason for leaving and I refuse to go back. I'm fed up with all this pointless fighting and searching."

There was a silence for a few moments, _"Pointless, I hardly see it as pointless."_

"Of course you don't…" she paused, "…you're too much like L."

The silence came over them again and Llana walked to the window, "Why did you really call?"

_ "We've been tailing the new Kira and we've noticed that he is very fond of someone he has met by pure chance."_

"I'm listening."

_ "His name is Teru Mikami and he's becoming involved with Yuki Yuriko."_


	17. Careless

**Chapter 16**

**Careless**

**A/N:** Just wanted to let everyone know that I messed up the dates way back in chapter four, five, or six and the year should have been 2009 and just now going into 2010 in this chapter. Sorry for any confusion. P.S: The whole chapter is Yuki and Teru, with bits of Giovanni, and Llana in a phone call.

* * *

**December 25, 2009; Mikami Residence; 7 p.m.**

Mikami rushed to close his computer when he heard the doorbell ring. Of course he wasn't going to kill anyone on Christmas day, but that didn't mean he couldn't kill them tomorrow.

He could picture Yuki now, standing outside and moving impatiently from one foot to another in the cold while staring at the sky. He knew she loved the snow.

Every thought of her was followed by regret. What would his precious Kira think about him giving some of himself to someone else? He had only known her for about a month, but something made him drawn to her. He wondered if Kira would kill her, or if he would ask Mikami too.

Mikami reached out to open the door, he would never hurt her. "Merry Christmas Yuki."

She smiled brightly and looked up at him, almost leaning her head all the way back, her blue eyes watched him happily, "Merry Christmas Teru. I brought cake and presents!"

He smiled, something one didn't see on him very often, or even at all. The woman walked into his house and looked around in wonder, still in her damp coat and clutching the cake and present boxes, "This place is huge."

His deep chuckled made her jump, "That is because you're small."

Yuki blushed and handed him the box, "Is strawberry ok?"

"It's perfect."

She watched him walk away down a hall and took off her coat, placing it absently on a chair. She walked slowly around the house, snooping into different closed off rooms until she found his study. She smiled as she pulled on the sleeves of her sweater and looked at the book-covered walls, "This is very Teru."

All of the books were mostly law and philosophy, a few classics thrown in. She smiled as her slender fingers landed on her favorite book, "Through the Looking Glass". Her smile grew as she flipped through the pages. She heard Teru clanking around in the kitchen and looked over her shoulder, biting her lip. Her black hair swung behind her lazily as she approached his desk, settling down in his chair with a huge grin on her face.

Teru made her feel so good she couldn't describe it. He was kind, a little boring and stoic, but kind all the same. His smile looked amazing on his face and he was always a gentleman with her.

Yuki felt bad for not telling him who she was really, who she was working for. Though she personally thought Light was Kira…she had seen the old files and was well aware of what L thought.

"I made lemon tea. Is that alright?"

His monotone made her blush instantly, "That's fine."

He handed her a cup and looked down at her, his dark eyes mesmerizing her, "What were you doing in here?"

"Just looking. I didn't touch anything." She held up her free hand in surrender, "I promise."

Mikami put his free arm around her waist and walked her to his living room. She smiled brightly, "You have a Christmas tree."

"Isn't it socially acceptable to have a tree during this season?"

That was such a lawyer appropriate question, "Well duh. But I just never took you for someone to put one up. You do live alone and all." It was then that she noticed the underside of the tree, "It's empty."

The man shrugged and sipped his tea, sitting on the couch. Yuki put her mug on the table and grabbed the boxes she brought with her, "Here."

Mikami smiled a little and looked at her blue eyes, "Thank you."

"No need to thank me, its Christmas."

The gifts consisted of an engraved pen, an Italian leather briefcase and a grey, black, and red tie. Mikami gently laid one atop the other and gave her a small smile, "You didn't need to get me anything."

"I didn't know what to get you anyway. You're are a man of simple taste Teru."

He nodded as he dug in his pocket, "It makes me happy that you thought about me."

Yuki rolled her blue eyes, "I always think about you." She said without thinking about it, "Well…I…"

Mikami pulled a box from his pocket and handed it to her, "And I think about you."

The woman opened the box slowly and her gasp put a satisfied smile on Mikami's face. He watched her gaze at it for a little while more before helping her put the snowflake pendant on. As he fixed the clasp and she let go of her hair she kissed his cheek, "Thank you Teru."

"I don't need thanks. I did it because I wanted to, because I want to be with you."

She nodded then frowned a little bit, "Is there a 'but' to this?"

He held her hands and looked into her blue eyes. Yuki felt like someone poured ice water down her back as she stared at him. His eyes, they looked, evil almost, "Yuki, what do you think of Kira?"

Her heart stopped, only for a few seconds, but it stopped nonetheless and her breath hitched. She wanted to look anywhere but at him instead she couldn't look away.

Yuki opened her mouth and at first nothing came out, she tried again, "I…I don't agree with him…"

Mikami's eyes grew darker until she continued, "But…meeting him in person, if I ever did that is…" she caught herself, "I would have to wait to make a real decision. I can't judge someone I don't really know."

His kiss startled her and she pulled back. He smiled, running gentle fingers through her hair, "Did I scare you?"

"You support Kira?"

"Yes. And you…you don't hate him or dislike him." He sounded almost excited, "You'll learn that he is good. That he is god."

He leaned in to kiss her again and she let him. She did like Mikami, a lot, and she wanted to maybe love him one day. She couldn't shun him for being a Kira supporter, but there was something in the way he said it, something that told her to be careful.

* * *

**December 31, 2009; Task Force; 9:15 p.m.**

"Yuki...Yuki!"

"What? Oh, I'm sorry Light, what were you saying?"

The young adult watched the woman warily. She hadn't said anything about what they all had just heard on the television, and it was a big deal. "I need you to put up a connection to Near for me."

"Right. I'm sorry."

Light turned back to his computer as it switched to life, "Near."

_ "Yes? I'm listening."_

"We have a problem, Mogi and Misa Amane are missing."

_ "I'm already aware of that. I was the one that took them into custody."_

Light glared at the screen as everyone gathered around him, everyone except for Yuki, "And why did you do that?"

The child sounded amused, _"Hm…just in case."_

"Near, kidnapping is a blatant criminal action. You have to stop this now."

Yuki heard Near say something about Mogi and Misa comings willingly when she felt her phone buzz. She pulled it out and read the text. _"Late dinner?"_ It was from Mikami.

_"How late?"_

_"Ten."_

She looked around the room for a brief second, noticing that Light had terminated his conversation with Near and everyone was returning to their seats. Yuki squeezed the phone a little; the time was nine thirty, _"Sure. Where am I meeting you?"_

_"The gym on Hoshi Blvd."_

_"I'm on my way. :)"_

Matsuda scrunched up his nose in that way Llana thought was so cute. Yuki thought it was ok, but Llana had a thing for cute, the strong silent type were more Yuki's forte. She chuckled inwardly, that was Mikami in a nutshell.

"Yu-chan, where are you going?" he asked, rubbing his nose with a tissue. He had played in the snow with Layla whenever he had the free time so now he had a cold.

"I think I may have caught your cold Matsuda-san. My immune system isn't very strong so I think I'll head home."

The man frowned, "Sorry about that."

Light barely looked over his shoulder at her, "Get some rest."

"I will."

* * *

Giovanni waited patiently for Near to give him his orders. He had already touched the notebook, but he decided to stay behind when he noticed Mikami leave the gym and join a woman.

_ "So he's with her again eh? Follow them." _

Giovanni was way ahead of him; he was already tailing the other car. Patiently waiting didn't exactly mean he had to sit still, "Yes sir."

_ "The moment she get's away from him, I want you to talk to her."_

"Of course sir, but…"

_ "What is it Giovanni?"_

"Do we want to tell her who he is? What if we need her, what if he kills her?"

Near chuckled over the line, _"He won't. I've checked his credit card records, he just bought a two hundred dollar white gold necklace for her."_

Giovanni rolled his eyes, so the man could throw money around, what difference did that make? "Alright sir."

The restaurant the couple stopped at was one of the most expensive in town. The woman with Mikami made a big show about it before he finally pulled her inside. Giovanni sat outside in his car for an hour and a half before the two exited again. Mikami left the woman alone to retrieve their car and Giovanni made his move.

Yuki couldn't even scream as the hand covered her mouth and the other wrapped around her small waist. As soon as she was released she made to scream until the man said, "I'm on Near's side."

"What the hell? Now Near's kidnapping me?"

"No. He wants to make you aware of the situation."

Her blue eyes bore into him like cold knives, "What the hell is going on? Why are you following Teru around?"

Giovanni was lost for a second, "How did you know I was following him?"

"You're obvious. I saw you leaving the gym just before he came out. What does Near want from him?"

"The Notebook, the Death Note."

Yuki wouldn't hear it, she chose to hear what she wanted to hear, "Teru doesn't have one! He's not…"

Giovanni stared at her patiently, "You know that something's off about him."

"No."

"Mikami Teru is the functioning Kira."

"I said no. He's not."

"You don't have to believe me. But Near thought you should know. He's had phone contact with Takada who has had contact with Yagami." He slipped a phone into her purse, "All of their phone records and other information are on here. Look at it or don't, but destroy it when you're done."

He made so much sense. No matter how badly she didn't want to believe it, it made too much sense. Yuki walked back to where Mikami left her just in time to climb into his car. The ride to his home was long and everything he said to her seemed to echo.

She still didn't feel much different as Takada herself did the new-year countdown for Tokyo, and even still as she got her first kiss of the new-year from Teru. When he fell asleep on the couch she walked into his study, her own phone and the one Giovanni gave her in her hands.

"Llana?"

The other woman's frown was clearly heard in her voice, _"Oh honey, your not calling to wish me a happy new year are you?"_

"Uh…no. Actually, I talked to someone today." Yuki looked at the documents on the simple black phone, "I talked to someone who knows something."

_ "I'm sorry Yuki. I didn't tell Near to-"_

"I know." She cut her friend off, "But…even with all this evidence…I can't…"

Llana's voice became serious, _"Find something on your own_."

"I don't want to look fro a reason!" she kept her voice at a harsh whisper.

_ "You don't have to. But you're having a hard time believing, you can be oblivious, or you can know for yourself."_

"But…"

_ "Look at it this way. Will your feelings for him change?"_

That was a good question. And the answer was no, they wouldn't change, not even a little. In fact, she would probably understand him better if… "Alright."

_ "Can you do it?"_

"Yes. Thank you."

_"You'll be fine Yuki. I promise."_ Then the conversation was over, just like that.

Yuki could hear his briefcase, the one she bought him, calling her name. She put her own phone and the other on the desk, and opened the case. Her heart jumped at the sight of the spine of the black book. She couldn't bring herself to reach in, it was just too much and all she needed to see.

The phone Giovanni gave her crashed onto the sidewalk and she walked back to the living room, resuming her spot on Mikami's chest. She tried to keep her fear filled trembling to a minimum.

Falling asleep was hard as she kept asking herself, "How could I be so careless?"


	18. Giant Leap

**Chapter 17**

**Giant Leap**

** A/N:** Getting really close to the end! Am I the only one who's exited? I actually hate this sequel and can't wait for it to be over. :)

* * *

**January 24, 2010; Matsuda Residence**

Grading essays was frustrating. Llana took one more deep breath before standing from the kitchen table and walking away from the horrid papers. She didn't even have anyone to call really. Matsuda and Yuki were working, monitoring Light and Takada, Mello made her promise not to call, and Near…

The phone rang then and she answered it quickly so the ringing wouldn't wake the little girl on the couch, "Hello?"

_ "Ideal I plan to meet with the Task Force in three days. I want you to be there with me."_

She rolled her eyes, how many times had they had this conversation, "Really Near? I thought I said I was out of this. I appreciate you keeping me up to date but I don't want to be physically involved."

_ "I'm not saying that you have to. I just want to you to know that all of this will end with this meeting. I plan on catching Kira and everyone helping him."_

Llana sat down on the part of the couch her daughter wasn't on. "I have to think about this Near."

_ "Of course but…"_

Near never stopped mid-sentence, "Near? Near what is it?"

_ "Turn on your television!" _Then the line went dead.

She didn't and instantly she knew something was up. It was the hotel that Light and Takada held their meeting in, there was some type of gas covering the scene and the reporter struggled to talk.

_"W-we are o-on the scene of the T-Takada kidnapping that has happened only m-moments ago. Apparently a red car pulled into the parking lot…"_ he coughed, _"…and fired some sort of c-canister into a crowd of fans and reporters. During the confusion, Takada was taken on the back of a m-motor cycle." _

Not again. Not this, anything but this. Llana reached over and shook her child, "Layla, go in your room please."

The girl was completely disoriented and looked to her mother with heavy eyes, "What…? Why?"

Llana muted the TV, "I want you to sleep in your bed. Sleeping on the couch is a bad habit." The girl left without a word, too tired to argue. Llana gave the television her full attention.

The scene had changed, apparently a helicopter view of the red car. A hand was over Llana's mouth to stop the scream; that was Matt's car. She'd seen it parked at the university a few times when he must have thought she hadn't seen him. He spun around a corner and was surrounded.

The phone ran and this time she din scream a little. She checked for movement from her child then answered, "H-hello?"

"Are you watching the news?"

It was Yuki. She nodded although she couldn't be seen, "Yeah, I'm watching it."

She clutched the phone as Matt climbed from the car. The moment the guns were raised she shouted, "NO!"

The phone was slammed on the hook and Llana grabbed her keys.

* * *

**Task Force Headquarters**

Yuki looked at the phone in shock then looked sadly at the television. Everyone watched her in anticipation and Matsuda finally asked, "Well?" the woman was still speechless. "I…don't know."

Matsuda's cell rang and he let a ring before Light told him to answer it, "Yes?"

_ "Daddy, what's going on? Mommy left in a hurry."_

"She'll be right back, just stay in the house and don't answer the door." He ended the call, "Llana left the house."

Light spun back to hi computer, "Shit. She can't go there, they'll kill her."

Aizawa didn't stand fast enough to grab Matsuda as he ran from the room, "Matsuda!"

Yuki shook her head, "He can stop her."

"She shouldn't have left in the first place." Light muttered.

"And you wouldn't leave if your family was just shot?" Yuki bit back. She stood and grabbed another set of keys, "Don't answer that. I already know what you'd do."

Ide and Aizawa sat quietly as the door was slammed closed. Light took a deep breath, "This little stunt is being pulled by Mello, and I know it."

His computer beeped and Near forced his way through the connection. _"Stay out of this."  
_

"Excuse me Near, but I have every right to be involved. What if Takada calls me?"

_ "That's fine. But don't make any other contact, not right now. Have you heard from Llana?"_

"From what I heard she's going after your friend who was shot."

There was a pause. Near wanted to correct that bastard more than anything. Matt was his brother, as was Mello. "_I'll take care of it."_

"Someone is already on it."

_ "Mr. Matsuda I presume? That will do. I'll contact you again when this is over."_

Light put a fist under his chin an closed his eyes. "There is nothing we can do right now but wait for the call from Kiyomi…if we get one. And Matsuda should be calling in soon too." He sighed, "All we can hope for is that the meeting isn't ruined in any way by this."

* * *

Llana barely made it past another car when she blasted through the red light on the way to the intersection where Matt was. The gunshots were still ringing in her ears and it was killing her concentration.

A black car swerved in front of her and stopped, she was only a block away. She looked in the rearview and another was behind her. She sunk low in her seat, what if they were the men who shot Matt? Would they shoot her for getting too close?

She watched as the door to the car behind her opened, it was Matsuda. She rushed from the car, "Touta!"

"Llana what are you doing?"

She turned to the person behind her, "I can't do nothing, I can't just leave him in the street."

Matsuda grabbed her hand, "We'll go with you."

Yuki pulled the gun from her waist, "C'mon."

The three of them walked the block together. Yuki and Matsuda looking around for any signs of the people who were obviously on Kira's side. When they reached the intersection it was void of the black cars, just a lone red one, and an ambulance.

Matsuda released the woman's hand and she walked to the body by the car. She got on her knees next to it and stubbed out the still burning cigarette on the ground. "I…I can't even yell at you for being so stupid."

She knew Matt wouldn't answer but she spoke anyway, she lifted the goggles off his face and set them next to her, "I can't even ask you why you did this!"

The tears finally broke free as she moved his body away from the cold car so she could hold him. A medic approached her and she shook her head "He's gone. You don't need to check."

Yuki wiped furiously at the tears running down her face, "I feel useless just standing here."

Matsuda nodded sadly, "There's nothing we can do."

"I know."

A phone rang and Llana looked over her shoulder as Yuki muttered silently into it. "Llana…"

"Don't tell me." She started to cry even harder, it was becoming hard to breathe, "Mello is gone too."

Yuki took a deep breath, "The truck he was in with Takada is burning at a abandoned church right now. The fire department is putting it out, but they aren't promising a body."

Llana sighed a huge sigh of defeat, "I really want to hear that this is the last time this will happen to me."

* * *

**SPK Headquarters **

Near took off his head set and turned away from all the screens. Giovanni answered an incoming call from Halle, "What is it?"

_ "The fire is out…the bodies are ruined beyond recognition. But I have some interesting news."_

"Yes?"

_ "Mello died before the fire started. They don't know how yet but I'm betting it was a heart attack."_

Near pulled on a curl, "Bring me his rosary. If it made it through the fire, bring it to me."

_ "Yes sir."_

The call was ended and Rester turned to him, "What are you going to do with it?"

"I'm sure Ideal will want it."


	19. Event

**Chapter 18**

**Event**

**A/N:** Just a short chapter going through how everyone was acting and what they were doing during the day of the Yellow Box meeting. It ends just before one o clock. OMG! Two more chapters!

* * *

**January 28, 2010; Matsuda Residence; 7:50 a.m.**

"Mommy it's raining!" Layla squealed excitedly as Llana rummaged in the fridge for the girl's lunch.

"That means you have to wear your what to recess?"

"My rain coat! I know mommy."

The women smiled and put the pink lunch bag on the kitchen table. She gathered the pink rain boots and matching umbrella with pink ducks and set it by the door. Jazz jumped onto the table and attempted to hide in the child's coat sleeve.

"Jazz." The girl giggled, "You can't go to school with me!"

Llana put the black cat on the floor.

Layla continued to beam as her mother buttoned her coat and put on her own jacket, reaching out for the girls hand. The child chattered all the way to the car and all the way to school.

"Have a good day Layla."

"I will mommy! I love you!"

"I love you too sweetheart."

* * *

**Kishimoto Hotel; Penthouse; 8:30 a.m.**

Yuki yawned a big, wide, yawn as she shuffled her way to the kitchen in her suite. It was nice living in a hotel sometimes but she really just wanted a real place to call home. The steam from the coffee pot made her smile and she rubbed her blue eyes.

She glanced at the calendar on the fridge and sighed, it was the twenty-eighth. How could she have forgotten? With another heavy sigh she brushed back her black hair, grabbing a mug, and pouring herself some of the steaming liquid.

Se shuffled away from the kitchen and the phone rang. With a curse she moved back to the phone and answered it, "What?"

_ "I'm sorry did I wake you?"_

Her heart fluttered in her chest a bit, "Oh Teru! Um…no…I'm already awake."

His deep chuckle was a bit distorted over the phone, _"Still not a morning person?"_

"What do you think?"

Mikami didn't know that she knew who he was and what he did. She ever said a word. She continued to spend time with him, and talk to him, just as if she was still blind to the scary truth.

_ "Yuki, I actually called to tell you something important."_

"And what would that be?"

_ "I love you._

"Oh…Teru."

* * *

**Aizawa Residence; 10 a.m.**

"Here sweetheart, let me."

Aizawa left his hand at his sides as his wife carefully tied his tie. He studied her face while she did so and she seemed to be so deep in her concentration, "Honey what's bothering you?"

"This. All of it; I don't know what's going on anymore. You're home more and I'm very happy with that. But every time you leave I don't know if you're coming back."

He sighed heavily and held her hands in his as she finished with his tie, "I promise you that every time I leave this house, I will be back."

Aizawa could feel the tingle of that little lie when she hugged him. Today he might not come back, no one knows what might happen to them in that warehouse."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

**SPK Headquarters; 11:30 a.m.**

"Near, are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"How could I not be sure? In an hour and a half I will be able to laugh in Kira's face at my victory. L's victory."

The adults in the room grew silent, that was quite the chilling statement coming from a teenager his size. Near began to make little puttering noises with his airplane and used it to knock over several of his dolls on the floor.

Lidner reclined in her chair slightly and Giovanni crossed his arms. They were ready for this. A few scary thoughts about their lives lingered of course but they were ready nonetheless.

* * *

**Winchester, London; Whammy's House; 3:30 p.m.; Four-hour time difference**

Roger grumbled low in his throat a bit as he closed his big heavy doors to silence the laughter and shouting of the children outside. He returned his attention to his phone and the grave business at hand.

"Yes. Her name is Illiana Blackwell. Most of the preparations will go through her."

He paused to let the other person speak and gather their information, "I am the sole fund supplier. Watari…there is no last name. …We would like it on the church on our grounds."

Another bout of quick silence, "Yes. Mihael Kheel and Mail Jeevas. Yes, we have already chosen a spot for the burial too." Roger looked over his shoulder out the window to the big tree in the yard. There was now a small fence around it and two tombstones already nestled in place.

"Of course. They have family here that have already been laid to rest." He said solemnly.

"Thank you very much sir. Enjoy your evening."

* * *

**Abandoned Tokyo Warf; Just Outside the Yellow Box; 12:45 p.m.**

Near fastened the mask to his face as the limo slowed to a stop outside the gates of the wharf behind the black mustang. He carefully peeked through the rain-splattered windshield at the very front and nodded once, "Go ahead Giovanni."

The man approached the car and knocked gently on the window. The door opened immediately and Nai nodded in thanks as Giovanni put an umbrella over her head.

"Are you ready?"

She sighed, "No. Not even a little."

Near approached the woman with Mogi in tow, Rester and Lidner on either side of him, the later with and umbrella over his head.

"I'm very happy that you could make it today Ideal."

Llana nodded once. She couldn't see his face due to the mask but she was sure he said it with such a straight face, not a smile in sight, just like L. "I know. I wanted to support you. And see the look on Light's face."

Near did smile under the mask at that. "Well, shall we?"

The woman glanced at her watch, "We have five minutes. Knowing them they'll be right on time."

Near started to walk, tugging Rester's hand just a little, "Then we are superior for being early."

Llana smiled, "When you enter with confidence you leave with confidence."

"And you leave with justice settled."


	20. Judgment

**Chapter 19**

**Judgment**

** A/N: **Next to last chapter! OMG!

* * *

**January 28, 2010; Yellow Box; 1:02 p.m.**

Because the space was so large, the silence just seemed that much more immense. The SPK stared at the Task Force, and the Task Force stared at the SPK. The slowly spinning fan on the far side of the warehouse was the only noise; it was slow, like a heartbeat.

Llana stood between Mogi and Lidner, watching Matsuda's shocked expression at seeing her there. Shouldn't she be working? Who would pick up Layla? But the woman had it all under control. Yuki just gave a barely seen nod in approval, she understood.

The silence went on for a little more then Aizawa spoke, "That's them. They are the SPK. The one in the mask is Near."

Light only slightly looked over his shoulder, "Are you sure Aizawa?"

"I can attest to it." Llana said, answering his question, "I am over here aren't I?"

Matsuda took one step forward, "Llana I don't understand. Why are you there? And don't you think it's wrong for Near to be the only one wearing a mask? The rest of us could still be in danger while he hides!"

It hurt Llana to her heart to hear Matsuda speak as if she had betrayed him. Near sighed, "This was just a precaution. It's a good possibility that Kira has already seen the faces of everyone here except for mine."

That put everyone on edge a bit. "I would like to wait at least thirty minutes before I remove this mask to make sure that no one is being controlled before they die."

Light glared at the masked teen as Llana whispered in his ear, looking down at her watch. _'Thirty minutes huh? I can wait._'

Silence consumed the space again and was soon filled with the dripping of water, the patter of the rain, the occasional rat, and that still slowly spinning fan. Llana whispered to Near again. Showing him her watch, he nodded once and that was it until Matsuda blew.

"It's already been forty five minutes! Nothing has happened yet!"

Yuki reached out and grabbed the man's arm. She shook her head, "Relax." She whispered.

Matsuda felt her shaking just the slightest bit and nodded.

Light sighed and said calmly, "Of course not. That's because Kira's not here."

Near agreed, "Very well." He reached up without hesitation or dramatic speed and pulled off his mask, handing it to Lidner. He smiled at Light who only narrowed his gaze.

Light smirked after a few seconds, "Why so quiet Near? Still waiting for something?"

"Hm. Waiting… What an interesting choice of words. Yes, I am waiting. Waiting for the arrival of the one who will truly solve everything once and for all."

Ide was confused, "Someone else is supposed to clear this up?"

Near tinkered with the dolls he brought with him. "Yes. He will be here soon, and he will appear there." He pointed to the door at his left, "It's the only entrance to this building and he will use it to see inside and kill everyone standing here with his death note." His gaze flickered to the people across from him and he smirked, "Well, almost everyone."

Yuki panicked for a second as her heart stopped. But she realized that she wasn't dying, she was just frozen in fear because she knew who it was. "So…you're saying that someone is going to just kill all of us?"

"I sad almost everyone." Near held the other woman's gaze. If he comes in, let him, by all means. If the door opens slightly, ignore it."

Matsuda was sweating and he watched how cool and clam Llana was. Did she want to die? Did she want Layla to loose the both of them? But then, he thought, maybe she knew something he didn't.

Near became excited, "He's already here!"

Llana took a deep breath to calm herself and glanced over at the door. She could see the red letters through the crack, floating above the person's head. Mikami, Teru. When she woke up this morning she could see all of it, and even now, standing still in the warehouse, she could see the creatures hiding in the rafters and the letters above everyone's head.

Matsuda pulled his gun from his jacket; Giovanni and Rester pointed theirs at the man while Llana pointed hers at them in turn.

"Everybody stop! We're not going to die." Near shouted over the confusion.

Yuki started to cry and Ide stepped forward, "How can you be so sure Near?"

"I had the notebook modified. The pages have been replaced with ordinary paper. None of us standing here will die."

Yuki had enough, "Teru stop it!"

The door swung open and the man was immediately cuffed and held down. Near held out his hand for the notebook, "Whoever's name is not written down, besides Miss Yuriko, is Kira."

As if the Task Force, including Light, hadn't already been shocked by the short woman's outburst before they were shocked to hear this. Aizawa spoke first, "Why wouldn't her name be written down?"

"Wouldn't you try to convince your god that the woman you love should live?"

Mikami started to thrash beneath the men on top of him, screaming incoherent things as Light started to chuckle, the task force took a step away from him.

"I knew it." He spoke softly, "I knew you would tamper with it so I changed it. You will still die! I WIN!"

Llana couldn't hold back her own smirked as she held up her watch and counted aloud, "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four three, two, one…" she sighed. "Looks like we all live another day.

Light was furious, "No!"

"B-but god…I did as you asked! I did everything you asked of me god! Why is this happening?"

Yuki was still crying, "Teru shut up! Don't say anything else! You murderer!"

At the sound of the woman's voice he hung his head and started to cry himself. Matsuda hit the floor as Aizawa put a hand on Light's shoulder, "It's over Light."

Mogi approached them and moved to put handcuffs on the young man, Light pushed, "Stop it!" and ran, tripping and falling several times. His breathing was heavy as he clutched at the walls.

Llana watched as her fiancé sat in a heap on the floor and moved to sit next to him. Near went on about his explanation of his plan. Giovanni announced that he could see Ryuk and Llana realized that she was the only one who could see the others hiding high above.

Near continued, "It has also been brought to my attention that you have tried to kill my sister. And yet, here she stands. I have studied it all Light. I have traced your every move and I will tell you that you did not win. You lose. In a way Mello and I worked together to surpass our mentor, our brother, L. And Llana helped us do that."

Light turned his gaze to the woman on the floor, "I should have just killed you with my own two hands! I knew you were trouble from the moment you joined us! This is your fault! I would have won a long time ago if you had just died!"

The woman was frozen as Matsuda wrapped his arms around her, it was weak, for he was still stunned himself.

Everyone stayed quiet as Light lent away from the wall, straightening his suit and his hair.

"You know what. I don't care. I cans till win this. I am god, do you hear me? I am the one who can and will rid the world of criminals and undesirables while you can't! Everyone will look to me for guidance, for justice. Yes! I am Kira and this is my world! Mine! And I will rid it of those I don't want starting with you Near!"

Everything happened so fast. The click of Light's watch and the shot from Matsuda's gun. Llana sat on her butt in shock at how fast her fiancé moved, "Matsuda?"

He ignored everyone, "Why Light? What about your dad? Why did he die?"

Light held his bleeding hand, "Because he was a fool! Just like you, like all of you!"

Matsuda started to cry and held his gun true at Light, "You took everything! My daughter will never know her birth father because of you! Your sister and mother have lost their family! You've killed everything!"

Four shots and Matsuda approached the thrashing young man on the ground, "I'll kill him!"

Llana sprang up from the ground, "Matsuda stop it!" She grabbed the gun in his hand and let him sob in her chest, "It's okay Matsuda. It's ok."

"Mikami save me! Do something!"

The man broke free from his startled captors and pulled out his pen, only to be tackled by a small body. Yuki straddled him and held his un-cuffed hands above his head "Stop it! Teru please! Don't leave me like this!"

Giovanni and Rester helped the woman and properly cuffed Mikami. During the confusion the door opened and Light limped away, Llana kicked off her pumps and followed after him.

Matsuda shot up, "She has my gun!"

Near called after them, "Wait! Light can't harm her as he is. And Ideal knows what she's doing. You may go. But don't interfere."

Llana continued to run, it took her a minute to get on Light's trail but once she found it she followed it closely. She held Matsuda's gun tight. She didn't know what she was going to do with it. She couldn't decide if she could even shoot Light.

Light didn't want to face the woman chasing after him. Even as he laid on the steps of another building, after he could run no more, he didn't want to look at her as he heard her enter and stand quietly at the bottom.

When he did look, he regretted it, the tears on her face, the figure behind her. God, how that figure made his heart ache.

"I…I remember a time when I told L that I believed in everything you had Light. When you were locked in that cell, and my top priority was to prove your innocence."

Light remembered that too, but he was too tired to speak really.

Llana continued, "I still can't bring myself to be satisfied with this." She pointed the gun at him and shook, "I want to shoot you so badly. But…you keep looking at me like that!" she shouted.

She felt something cold wrap around her waist and rest on her right shoulder. Light's gaze shifted just to the right left of her head, in that exact spot. He opened his death kissed lips and said, "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted." Was the whispered reply in Llana's ear. The woman fought back tears as she opened her mouth, "Apology accepted." she echoed...and dropped her hand to her side.

* * *

**A/N:** I don't know about everyone else but every time I see the last episode and I see L and Light just looking at one another, all I see on light's face is an apology. That's why I decided to end it this way. That and even through Llana hated Light, she still wanted so save him. That never changed. Stick around for the epilogue.


	21. Repentance

**Chapter 20**

**Repentance**

**Epilogue**

** A/N:** Wow. It's over. It like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. All in all I'm moderately happy with the story. I hope you guys were satisfied.

* * *

**November 6, 2015; Tokyo Japan; Mikami Residence**

"Happy Birthday Yuki."

The woman kissed Mikami on the forehead as he sat next to her, long after the guests had left, and the streamers and balloons were still all over the living room. She put a hand in his hair and sighed a deep sigh. It was hard to believe that he had been locked up, in solitary confinement, in a mental hospital, then finally in the loving care of Yuki herself in the past five years.

Near had pulled numerous strings to help Mikami keep his job, and his life, when it came to his sentencing.

"I know that sigh."

She smiled at his observation, "I know you do."

"What's in the past is in the past Yuki." Mikami shifted his position on the couch causing his open shirt to open even more.

The woman smiled at the cross sparkling on his neck. "Teru?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

He chuckled, that deep sound that she loved so much, "I love you too." He leaned over and kissed her, ruffling around in his pocket at the same time.

Yuki huffed, "What are you doing? Hold still!" she reached forward for him again but this time stopped when she noticed the little box in his hands. "T-Teru…?"

"You saved my life, in more ways than one and without you, I would be dead and damned. Yuki Yuriko, will you be Yuki Mikami?"

As the woman knocked him to the floor Mikami couldn't help wondering how someone so small could over power him in so many ways.

* * *

**October 31, 2015; Winchester, London; Whammy's House**

"Ideal's home!"

Matsuda chuckled as children attacked Llana the moment they stepped into the house. The older children waited until the younger ones ran off, practically kidnapping Layla, to hug the woman and relieve her of her bags.

The older girls cooed at the toddler in Matsuda's arm causing the shy little boy to hide in his father's neck.

"It's ok Hiro. They're family."

The boy sucked his thumb in response. Llana laughed as she held out her hand for her husband and they walked up the stairs. "I hope Roger isn't doing anything that has him too busy."

"Well maybe we should let him work and settle in first." The man blushed and looked down at the floor.

"Touta, are you still afraid of him?" the woman giggled, "His father speech at the wedding couldn't have been that bad."

"Well…"

"Come in! I want to see that boy!"

Llana pushed open the oak doors and practically ran into the room, easily skipping over the many toys; so she could throw her arms around Near from behind. The teenager smiled, "Hello Ideal."

Roger stood from his desk and quickly approached Matsuda, "So this is the little one I've been hearing so much about. More troublesome children."

The woman rolled her eyes and Hiro shrunk into his father even more. Near watched the three year-old closely and picked a robot toy from the floor next to him. Hiro took it hesitantly then held out his arms for his uncle.

Matsuda handed him over, "Miracles do happen."

Llana giggled, "Touta shut up."

Roger sized the man up from the other side of his desk, "Still a spineless Jap I see."

"Roger!" the woman shrieked in surprise.

Near smiled as he played with his nephew on the floor, "He's just stressed out. I ignore him fairly easy."

Llana grabbed Matsuda's hand and turned to leave the office, "Near is Hiro fine with you here?"

He nodded, "I quite enjoy his company, you may go."

Matsuda frowned as they walked back down the steps and left the house to go into the back. They caught a glimpse of Layla playing and she waved happily. "He really hates me."

"Roger hates everybody. And he is stressed beyond belief. He has to run the house and Near as L."

"Did he have to call me a Jap?"

"No. But you can call him and angry old Britt if it makes you feel better."

Matsuda smiled, "It would."

The couple's laughter died down as they approached the large tree surrounded by a brilliant white fence. Llana leaned on the object and sighed, "It's still so strange not having them here."

"You're allowed to miss them."

"I know. But after so many years you would think it would hurt less. All of them were too young."

"But on the up side…" Matsuda trailed off.

She knew. They later found out that Watari wasn't killed with the death note. He legitimately had a heart attack. He was and old man who had lived his life, it was his time.

Masuda wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head. For almost ten years their lives had been fear, and Kira. The whole world lived like that. But it didn't take long for criminals to continue running the streets again, and the name of Kira simply disappeared.

Llana smiled and looked up into Matsuda's brown eyes, "Hey, wanna take the Bentley for a joy ride later?"

His face lit up, "You know I do."

"Daddy! Come look at this!"

The woman entered the gate as she was left alone. She sat on the ground, fixing her skirt in the grass. "I love the four of you so much." There was much more she wanted to say but 'I Love You' seemed like enough.

She kissed her fingers and brushed the headstone in front of her. It read "L Lawliet. The World's Hero."

"Mommy!"

"Illiana!"

She stood and left the small space, going to the people who called her. "Hey, woman."

She stopped and looked over her shoulder, smiling at the Shinigami, "Ryuk right?"

He chuckled, "So you remember me?"

"How could I not?"

"You're an interesting human. You tricked a death note, you live now because of it." He grinned, "Even I don't know when you die."

Llana crossed her arms, "What are you getting at?"

"I have a proposition for you human. Give me your frozen lifespan, and I heal your eyes."

She smiled, a smile that out creeped even Ryuk's. "It's a mystery when I'll die. Whatever of my life is frozen above my head could be two years, or ten, or fifty. I think I'll keep it, and my sight."

His chuckle was loud but only she heard it, "Human's are so interesting."

Llana turned away from him and continued to her family, "We're complicated Ryuk. Very complicated…and special too."


End file.
